Rise & fall of a brother hood
by Priestess27
Summary: The future is looking bleak. In 2028 Sara Lance feels if team arrow understood what happened to Slade Wilson when they met it would help them understand him. Will it or will it condemn him.
1. Intro

**chapter** one

chapter one: The future

Starling City , 2028

sara Lance looked out the window overlooking the city below. A shadow fell in step beside her. Then another followed. Sara smiled at the two " are you sure about this plan of yours" Oliver asked looking at Sara with a look that said he was anything but sure. Sara nodded moving over towards the front. " I'm sure this will help them understand. " Sara said determined.

A shadow approached the two. " If we do this " Joe comes to" Oliver looked at his long time friend. " Of course Slade"

" Okay, Laurel hit it" Oliver ordered. Laurel nodded and hit the machine with a smile on her face.

Starling City , the past.

Slade smirked at Oliver pulling into a hug " see you kid. " Oliver smiled " I'll see you" he says with a smile. " When she wakes up. Tell her I'm sorry" Slade asked. Nodding , Oliver hugged his old friend goodbye. Slade Wilson was walking away from Oliver after visiting him with Thea when a flash of light lit up and he disappeared.

Arrow

Oliver queen watched Slade disappear from his life again to look for both his sons when a flash of light lit and he vanished.

Arrow

Thea queen was sitting up after Oliver visited her in the hospital when a flash of light lit and she vanished..

Arrow

diggle and Felicity were in the arrow cave setting up new computers with Curtis when a light flashed and they vanished.

Arrow.

Coming to , Oliver stood up and scanned the area before helping Thea up. While dig helped Felicity up. Slade had his gun out and ready to strike anything. His back to everyone else. Oliver slowly approached him , laying a calming hand on his mentors shoulder. " Slade?" Oliver asked. Looking at him. " I'm good kid" slades voice was a whisper but Oliver heard it. Felicity walked over with dig. " What's going on!" She asked. Oliver shook his head. " I don't know" Thea approached " Ollie it's okay maybe they know " Thea said pointing to the people behind them. Oliver looked up seeing Sara and himself standing side by side.

" Greetings , you can call me Sara and him Arrow , we brought you here to see the beginning and downfall of a brotherhood. Which sadly I helped to destroy. " Sara said. The arrow looked down at that while Oliver smiled sadly " so my first two years on the island " Oliver answered. Felicity glared at them " we all know what happens Slade went phyico!" She snapped. Slade turned away at that moving away from everyone but Oliver reached out and held him in place.

" Your going to see how the mirakuru changed a good man and turned him into what you met" arrow spoke up. " Let's get started then " Slade growled. Sara sighed lightly looking towards Slade. Arrow smiled sadly at his old friend. " now your all from different timelines , so don't give to much away. Arrow said looking at Oliver.

Oliver nodded and headed to move to sit down.

" There are things you need to know before we start. " arrow said as he stood in front of everyone. " As I've said your each from different timelines. Slade is from just leaving you , Oliver in the hospital. This caused both Oliver and Joe to shout in protest. " Thea is from that same time line. After she woke up. " Arrow continued. "Oliver is from after dealing with kane wolfman." Sara added. This caused Joe to smirk and the arrow quickly smacked him. " You will show your father respect!" Sara had gasped along with Thea and Felicity.

Slade was at a loss. And was being held back by Oliver and dig. " Oliver! " Slade growled. The arrow sighed and nodded towards slade. " The reason you are here Joe is to remember the man before the mirakuru. That man" arrow pointed at slade. " Your father who has loved you since you were first put in his arms. " The arrow finished. " Deathstroke is a monster!" Sara added. " And instead of trying to save Slade , we let the drugs destroy his mind. " She said quietly. " Now let's start. "

Everyone took their seats , Oliver choosing to sit with Slade and Thea moving to sit in between them.

"Everyone ready" Sara asked which got a bunch of yeses she nodded and played the first clip.

_**A/N: okay this is my first ever! Watch it fanfiction. So please if I need to edit and add something please let me know**_


	2. The beginning

_**A man was running through a thick forest, before suddenly leaping up and grabbing a branch. He**__**used it to swing himself forward, before running out onto some rocks. He climbed them to the top, his **_**_feet bare. The camera panned for a _**_**moment, letting them see a part of the man's face.**_

Slade sat back a smirk on his face while Thea jumped and unknowingly grabbed his arm in a vice grips. " That's Ollie!" Oliver looked at her and laughed.

_**Oliver looked to the sea and saw a fishing boat not far from the shore. He flew up from where he was and started running across the rocks, jumping with almost unnatural agility. Oliver ran up to where a bundle of green fabric was and stuck down his knife next to it. Then he opened it, pulled out an arrow and hit it against the stone, making it light up. He stood up, pulling the string back on the bow and let the lit arrow fly towards the beach, where a big pile of wood was. It exploded, sending fire high up in the air.**_

_**" **_Wow that's amazing" dig said looking at Oliver and the arrow. Thea was smiling. Slade just smirked at them.

_**On the boat, the two fishermen noticed the fire and started pointing at it. Suddenly, Oliver's voice could be heard.**_

_**"The name of the island they found me on is Lian Yu. It's mandarin, for Purgatory."**_

_**The camera panned to where the fishermen**__**were walking past a black and orange mask with an arrow through it.**_

Slade turned to look at Oliver with a look. " What I wanted to remember " Oliver defended himself.

Felicity glared at it. While dig and Curtis looked thoughtful. " You ment alot to him" dig said. Slade nodded as the memory continued.

_**I've been stranded here for five years."**_

_**The fishermen came to a stop when Oliver started walking towards them.**_

_**"I've dreamt of my rescue every cold, black night since then."**_

_**Seeing their hesitation, Oliver fell to his knees.**_

_**"For five years I've had only one thought. One goal."**_

_**Oliver pulled off his hood, revealing his long hair and beard.**_

_**Survive. Survive and one day return home."**_

_**The scene changed to Oliver sitting on the boat, wrapped in a blanket. One of the fishermen came up to him with a cup of something, Oliver accepting it gratefully.**_

_**"The island held many dangers."**_

" That's putting it lightly kid" Slade commented. Oliver rolled yes eyes. Felicity glared at him. " You'd know you were one of them!" She snapped. Oliver glared at her " enough!" He ordered.

_**To live, I had to make myself more than what I was. To forge myself into a weapon. I am returning, not the boy who was shipwrecked, but the man who will bring justice to those who have poisoned my city."**_

_**Oliver looked up with a dangerous stare.**_

_**"My name is Oliver Queen."**_

_**The text 'ARROW' appeared, before the scene changed into a yacht fighting against the storm.**_

thea looked at that and paled, " is that!" She asked. Slade, surprisingly patted her hand that was still gripping his arm. Thea looked at him, frowning but didn't flinch at his touch.

_**The words '5 YEARS EARLIER' flashed across the screen. Robert Queen's face appeared, worry clear on it. A man walked in, struggling to close the door.**_

_**"Storm's a category 2. Captain's recommending we head back."**_

_**Robert sighed.**_

_**"Alright. Inform the crew."**_

_**They started walking down the hallway as Oliver appeared on the other end.**_

_**"Are we in trouble?"**_

_**"One of us**_** is."**

Thea and Felicity laughed at that while Sara had a small sad smile on her face. Dig hid his face in his hand.

_**Oliver smiled and turned around when he heard a female voice behind him.**_

_**"Ollie!"**_

_**Sara appeared in the doorway, quickly closing her kimono over her underwear when she noticed Robert.**_

_**"Where do you keep the bottle opener on this thing?"**_

_**"I'll be there in a minute, Sara."**_

_**She smiled at him and went back inside the room. Oliver turned to Robert who sighed.**_

_**"You know, son. That is not going to finish well."**_

_**For either of them, or for you."**_

_**Oliver just smiled. The scene changed into the room where Oliver was drinking wine, while Sara was on the bed.**_

_**"It's getting closer."**_

_**He smiled.**_

_**"It's not very scientific."**_

_**"What would you know about science, mr Ivy League dropout?"**_

_**He sat down next to her.**_

_**"I happen to know a lot about science. I know about fermentation. I know biology."**_

_**They kissed.**_

_**"Laurel's gonna kill me."**_

_**"**_Very bad timing" Sara commentedfrom the top arrow wrapped an arm around her. Squeezing her shoulder.

_**She's so gonna kill me."**_

_**She put away her glass.**_

_**"Your sister will never know. Come here."**_

_**He tackled her into a lying position and she laughed.**_

_**Thunder struck down blacking out the lights for a moment and Sara looked up with worry.**_

_**"Okey that one was really close."**_

_**"Sara."**_

_**She looked up at Oliver.**_

_**"We're gonna be fine."**_

_**He leaned down and kissed her, when suddenly the entire boat tipped, sending them flying into the wall.**_

_**"Sara?"**_

Felicity hid her face in digs shoulder. Thea gripped Oliver's hand and tightened her grip on slades arm. Slade was calm only wincing once as Thea's grip tightened. " I don't want to watch this part!" Thea cried. Slade whispered softly into her earand Thea hid her face in his shoulder. Oliver looked at his old friend and mouthed a thank you.

_**Oliver was struggling to stay afloat in the stormy water.**_

_**"Sara!"**_

_**"Oliver!"**_

_**A lifeboat appeared with Robert and another man in it.**_

_**"Sara!"**_

_**"Oliver!"**_

_**Oliver swam over to the boat and the two men helped him get inside.**_

_**"No. No! Dad, she's out there!"**_

_**Oliver tried to get into the water again, but Robert held him back.**_

_**"She's not there!"**_

_**"Sara!"**_

everyone watched the scene , Felicity had a look of horror on her face, she hadn't known it was that bad. Slade and Oliver were reassuring a sobbing Thea. Dig and Curtis looked on in disbelief. " That's not normal!" Curtis spoke up. " No the boat was sabitashed " arrow muttered. Sara looked around we're missing a few people" arrow nodded and Laurel hit the thing again this time it brought Lance and a younger Laurel along with Billy Wintergreen. Arrow looked at him and glared " Laurel! He snarled.

" Okay I didn't mean to do that." Siren said .

Slade was ready to pounce on his old partner and best friend. Thea though wouldn't let him move. " Kid!" Slade snarled. Just as Billy disappeared. " Sorry Wilson!" Oliver moved in front of Slade whispering to him quietly. Slade nodded and Oliver retired to his seat. Greeting Lance and Laurel.

" Shall we continue" arrow said. Looking at them all.

_**"She's gone."**_

_**The man set up a small light in the boat, while Robert and Oliver sat next to each other. Robert opened a small flask and gave it to Oliver.**_

_**"Here son! Drink!"**_

_**The man glared at them.**_

_**"What the hell are you doing?! That's all we've got!"**_

_**If anybody's making it out of here it's gonna be him!"**_

_**Then Robert turned back to Oliver.**_

_**"I'm so sorry! I thought I had more time! I'm not the man you think I am! I didn't build our city! I failed it!"**_

_**"Oh."**_

_**And I wasn't the only**_** one."**

Noone said anything. Oliver had a sad look on his face, Felicity and dig both looked thoughtful at the screen. Saddness on there faces.

_**It was now day and the boat was still drifting. Robert, who was holding his arm around Oliver, leaned closer to him and whispered "Theres not enough for all of us."**_

_**Oliver, clearly exhausted, whispered back**_

_**"Save your strength."**_

_**"You can survive this. Make it home. Make it better. Right my wrongs. But you gotta live through this first. You hear me Ollie? You hear me son?"**_

_**He shook him slightly, to make sure that Oliver wasn't asleep.**_

_**"Just rest, dad."**_

_**And he fell asleep again.**_

thea poked her head up from slades shoulder and sighed in relief they were off the boat

_**Robert kissed the top of Oliver's head, before sitting up straight and putting his son against the side of the boat. Then he suddenly pulled out a gun and shot the other man, causing him to fall into the water. Oliver jumped at that. Oliver quickly moved as far from Robert as possible, fear clear on his face.**_

_**"Dad?"**_

_**Robert looked at him with sorrow on his face.**_

_**"Survive."**_

_**Then he put the gun to his own head and**__**pulled the trigger.**_

Thea screamed hiding her face in Oliver's shoulder. Slade rubbed her back arcwardly " it's okay it's okay" Oliver whispered. Everyone else's faces were struck with horror

_**Oliver was still drifting at sea and it was clear that he was exhausted. He looked over the side of the boat.**_

_**"I almost died. I… I thought that I had, because I spent so many days on that liferaft."**_

_**The island could be seen from where Oliver was in the boat.**_

_**"Before I saw the island."**_

_**The scene changed to Oliver walking through the water.**_

_**"When I reached it, I knew. I knew that I was gonna have to live. For both of us."**_

_**Once again the scene changed to Oliver waking up. Birds could be heard.**_

_**"Hey! Hey! Get away!"**_

_**The camera panned to the beach, where the liferaft was being assaulted by birds. Oliver ran down to it, looking down to where Robert's body was covered with an orange fabric.**_

_**"Dad."**_

_**He grabbed his father's hand, before suddenly stumbling a few steps away and throwing up**_

Slade looked at Oliver and smirked at him, Oliver just rolled his eyes " what" he asked Slade said nothing just kept smirking. Thea smacked Slade. " Ow!"

_**Oliver noticed that birds were flocking again, so he pulled himself together and quickly moved back to the boat. Me**_

_**"Hey! Get away from him!"**_

_**He coughed a few times, before taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. Then he pulled Robert's body out of the boat and lifted it onto his shoulders. Staggering, he made it to the top of the rocks and gently put the body down. He was laying the body more straight, when he noticed a book in Robert's pocket. He pulled it out and flipped through the pages, but they were empty**_.

_**Oliver was carrying stones, building a grave around Robert's body. He stood up, looking down at his work, when an arrow suddenly pierced his shoulder and Oliver screamed.**_

Thea gasped in shock. Yanking Slade's arm to her. The man in question looked at Oliver " am I a punching bag? " He asked. As the youngest Queen held his arm in a death grip.

_**Oliver fell to the ground, screaming in pain. He managed to turn his head to where a figure in a green hood was putting another arrow on the string.**_

_**"No."**_

_**That was all he managed to say before he passed out. When he woke up, he was in a cave. Sitting up, he noticed that the arrow was still in his shoulder. Turning to the opening, he saw Yao Fei walking inside, bow still in his hand.**_

_**"Who are**_** you?"**

_**The man pulled his hood off and walked a bit closer to him, making sure to keep his movements slow.**_

_**Why did you shoot me?"**_

_**"To protect you."**_

Thea looked over at Oliver frowning " was that yao fai" she asked , Felicity and Laurel looked to Oliver for and answer. " Yes, I'm safe" he said watching.

_**The man picked up a small bowl and some herbs. He stretched them over to Oliver, who just looked at him.**_

_**"Drink."**_

_**Oliver grabbed a few herbs, put them in his mouth and quickly drank them down, wincing at the taste.**_

_**As soon as Oliver was done, Yao Fei grabbed the arrow and pulled it out, Oliver screaming in pain. The scene changed to Oliver sleeping on the ground in the cave. He suddenly woke up and looked around, slightly confused. Noticing that Yao Fei was asleep, he stood up quietly and ran out of the cave.**_

" dumbass" Thea said crossing her arms. Slade laughed taking the time to check his arm Thea used as a pillow. Rolling his shoulder he nodded, least it didn't fall asleep_**.**_

_**Oliver was running through the forest, looking behind him from time to time. He fell over a few times, before suddenly getting caught in a net that pulled him off the ground.**_

"kid, be mindful of your surroundings" Slade growled at him. Arrow smirked. Felicity gasped looking at the screen.

While Lance had a satisfied look. Laurel was looking at her father with a raised an eyebrow and frown .

_**Yao Fei was now standing next to the net that Oliver seemed to have fallen asleep in. He put a blade close to it and Oliver jerked awake, trying to move away from it. He stopped struggling when he noticed who it was.**_

**_"Fool. This place is too dangerous for any one man to be alone."_**

_**He took a few steps away and cut the rope that held the net up, causing Oliver to fall to the ground.**_

_**"They'll kill you!"**_

_**Oliver looked at him from the ground, slowly untangling himself from the net, when he heard a branch snap not far from him. He quickly rolled to his feet and ran after Yao Fei. The scene changed to a few soldiers checking the net, before walking**__**away.**_

thea looked at Oliver sadly. " That's why you don't leave the cave!" She yelled at him. Oliver smiled and said" I didn't know if I could trust him" Thea huffed and sighed when the memory continued.

_**Yao Fei walked inside, carrying a cage with a bird. Oliver looked up at him, curling in on himself when the man approached. Yao Fei put the cage gently on the ground next to the boy and took a step back.**_

_**"Shengcún."**_

Thea looked at Slade smacking his arm lightly " what's that mean" Slade glared at the youngest queen " it'll be explained"

_**Yao Fei walked away and Oliver looked after him frowning.**_

_**"What am I supposed to do with thar?"**_

_**"Shengcún."**_

_**"Does that mean bird?"**_

_**"Shengcún!"**_

_**Yao Fei's voice got more angry and Oliver raised his own voice in response.**_

_**"I don't speak chinese!"**_

_**The man glared at him, before pulling a knife out and walking away. Oliver looked down at the picture again.**_

_**"I'm sorry Laurel. I'm so sorry."**_

laurel gasped at seeing Oliver with the picture. Lance gently squeezed her shoulder. " You kept it" Oliver nodded.

_**Yao Fei was cooking a piece of meat, while Oliver was sitting in the corner, still holding the picture.**_

_**"What is that?"**_

_**Yao Fei glanced at him, but didn't answer.**_

_**"I'm so hungry."**_

_**Oliver stood up.**_

_**"It smells really good."**_

_**He stretched his hand out to the food, when Yao Fei suddenly grabbed it and threw him to the side. Oliver landed with a shout. He picked himself up quickly.**_

_**"Fine. Don't share."**_

_**He panted and Yao Fei finally looked at him.**_

_**"Hey."**_

_**Oliver looked at him and he pointed to the bird. Then he made a movement with his hands that imitated breaking someone's neck. Oliver looked at him with shock.**_

_**"Shengcún."**_

_**Oliver looked over to the bird.**_

_**"I'm not gonna kill the bird."**_

_**Yao Fei smiled and repeated:**_

_**"Shengcún."**_

Slade laughed smirking at Oliver. Oliver just sighed " shut up Slade!" Thea rolled her eyes at the two they were acting like brothers again. Thea smirked at that. Even though she was still mad and very upset with Slade for killing her mother and kidnapping her. Thea promised she'd keep an open mind for this.

_**The scene changed again. Oliver was looking at the bird, while Yao Fei was preparing a trap.**_

_**"Hey. Please."**_

_**He looked up at the boy, but didn't answer.**_

_Thea bit her lip. Waiting for the next scene. Oliver took his sister gently in his arms. _

_**"I'm starving. I never killed anything before."**_

_**Still no answer came, Yao Fei just continuing what he had been doing. Very slowly, Oliver reached into the cage and pulled out the bird. He held it in both hands and just looked at it for a moment.**_

_**"I'm sorry."**_

_**He looked up to not see the animal anymore and, with one move, broke its neck. On the other side of the cave, Yao Fei was watching**__**him. Oliver brough one hand up and looked at it**_.

Everyone but Oliver , dig and Slade gaped in horror. Felicity was staring at the screen in disbelief. Curtis was just gaping. Lance was nodding clearly understanding yao fais teaching. Thea was staring with her jaw dropped.

_**Oliver was now sitting in the cave, eating the bird. Yao Fei walked slowly over to him and sat down on the ground. He smiled softly.**_

_**"Shengcún."**_

_**Oliver nodded.**_

_**"Bird. I know."**_

_**"Shengcún not mean bird."**_

thea jerked forward and nearly screamed " He speaks English!" Thea looked at Oliver,who was laughing at her. " I was just as shocked " Oliver told her.

_**Shengcún mean survive."**_

_**"You speak english?"**_

_**Oliver looked almost close to tears.**_

_**"You want survive this place, bird not last thing you kill."**_

_**He reached into his pocket and pulled out Laurel's picture.**_

_**"And forget her. You look at that all day. You not survive this place."**_

_**Oliver was looking at him with a serious expression, but didn't say anything. The scene changed to a rabbit sitting in the forest. Suddenly, he got hit by an arrow.**_

Felicity jumped with a gasped as Oliver put his head in his hands " this is gonna be embarrassing. " He muttered to himself. Arrow chuckled softly.

_**Yao Fei stood up from where he had been crouching.**_

_**"Dinner."**_

_**"Alri… Come on. Hey. I got an idea. Why don't you let me shoot that thing, and you can go pick up the… bloody, dead, disgusting animal."**_

slade started laughing and Thea quickly slapped him hard on the arm " shut up Slade!" Oliver shook his head and glared at Slade. " Your no better!" He laughed. Slade laughed " I like swords not bows" Slade smirked. Thea looked at him and silently prayed her cheeks weren't red. No matter what slades don't in the past she couldn't deny he was an attractive man.

_**Without a word, Yao Fei stretched the bow over to Oliver.**_

_**"What?"**_

_**"Try. Breathe. Everything breathe. Breathe, aim, fire."**_

_**He demonstrated the movement without an arrow, and then gave the bow and an arrow over to Oliver.**_

_**"Aim, that tree."**_

_**He pointed to a big tree, straight ahead of them. Oliver drew the string back, his hand shaking slightly.**_

_**"Breathe."**_

_**He let the arrow go and it flew to the right of the tree. Yao Fei laughed and said a few words in mandarin.**_

_**"What does that mean?"**_

_**Yao Fei took the bow back.**_

_**"You will die badly."**_

_**Then he pointed out towards the trees.**_

_**"Get."**_

_**Oliver looked like he was going to protest, but one hard look from Yao Fei silenced him. He sighed and started walking into the forest. Just as he was nearing the rabbit, two soldiers suddenly appeared, one of them putting a hand over Oliver's mouth.**_

thea gasped clutching slades arm tightly. Oliver groaned Laurel looked at Oliver in concern

_**The soldiers dragged Oliver to a hole in the ground and threw him in there, closing a cage door over him. His hands had been handcuffed and he grabbed onto the bars.**_

_**"Wait. Wait. You cannot leave me here. Don't do this to me! Please!"**_

_**One of the soldiers hit his hand with the gun and Oliver let go, falling to the bottom of the hole with a scream.**_

_**"Please! I didn't do anything"**_

laurel , Felicity and Thea all clutched onto their seat partners. Slade hissed when Thea's Niels dug into his skin. He looked at Oliver with a glare. Oliver slowly pried Thea's hand away from Slades arm.

" He's going to be alright!" Laurel demanded looking at Slade. Slade just shook his head. " No he's not "

Felicity then felt the need to open her mouth. " You'd know let us guess this is where you come in!" Dig had to hold her back and Sara paused the memory. " No it's not , Ms smoak unfortunately for you I was Oliver's closest thing to a friend for near two years of his life on that hell hole!" Slade said calmly. Thea complicated taking his hand , Oliver had told Thea of his meeting slade. " Can we just continue!" Thea growled as she yanked Slade back into his seat.

_**Oliver was being led through a camp, his hands still handcuffed. He was led into a tent, where the soldier pushed him so that he fell against a pole, hitting his injured shoulder.**_

_**"Please sit."**_

_**A man with almost white hair pointed at the chair across from him.**_

_**"You're making me feel rude."**_

"who's that" Thea asked quietly. Oliver and Slade looked at her " you'll see speedy" was all he said.

_**Oliver sighed and sat down heavily.**_

_**"I do apologize for my men's treatment of you."**_

_**He opened a can of water and started pouring it into a glass.**_

_**"They're… They're trained to view any stranger as hostile. I'm Edward Fyers, by the way. And you are?"**_

_**Oliver seemed to think about it for a moment, before answering.**_

_**"I'm Oliver Queen. I was shipwrecked here. I don't know for how long. My family has money. Lots of money. You would be really well compensated for my rescue."**_

Slade snorted " really kid?" Oliver looked and " it was worth a shot" everyone laughed at that comment.

_**Well, I look forward to that. But for the moment let's just talk."**_

_**Oliver shook his head slightly.**_

_**"About what?"**_

_**Well, for instance."**_

_**Fyers reached behind him and lifted a photo. He put it in front of Oliver. It was a photo of Yao Fei in a military uniform.**_

_**"This gentleman. Do you know him?"**_

_**Oliver had a quick flashback to when he last saw Yao Fei.**_

_**"No."**_

_**"No?"**_

_**"No. Who… Who's he?"**_

_**"You're a poor liar."**_

Slade slapped himself while Oliver groaned " why are we watching this" he groaned. Sara smirked " it was easier that starting right where you met Slade. This is too show how you met him "

_**Fyers leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms.**_

_**"I've been polite. I'll offer you one more chance, before my manners leave me."**_

_**Oliver leaned forward quickly.**_

_**"Hey! Hey. I… I don't know this guy. I… I thought I was on this island all by myself."**_

_**"Do you know what this island is named?"**_

_**Oliver shook his head.**_

_**"We're on Lian Yu. Mandarin for Purgatory."**_

_**He stood up.**_

_**"But I can make it feel like hell."**_

_**Oliver sighed, but didn't say anything. Fyers grabbed the glass and started walking away.**_

_**"I don't know why you're protecting him. You're young. Foolish. Perhaps you don't know either. Think on that when you're begging for death."**_

Slade stood up and walked away. Thea looked around, Oliver was looking at Slade in sympathy. Slowly getting up Thea walked over to the man, laying a gentle hand on hisback. Oliver was watching them with s small smile. Glad his sister was seeing the real slade.

_**Oliver looked defeated, but still didn't turn around to tell Fyers anything. The man exited the tent.**_

_**"He's yours now."**_

_**That made Oliver turn around and look with fear as a man with a black and yellow mask walked inside.**_

thea pulled Slade back to their seats, she rubbed his back , a frown on her face. " He knows the man, you'll find out " Oliver said his giving no room for further details.

Where can I find the man in this picture?"

_**Fyers held up the picture of Yao Fei once again. When Oliver didn't answer, he nodded at the man in the mask. He put his hand on Oliver's chest, while the other hand pushed a knife into his side. Oliver screamed in agony.**_

Thea hid her face in slades back while everyone else watched in horror.

_**The man in the mask was cutting across his chest now, his head tilted almost in curiosity. The scene shifted to Oliver hanging by his hands, his head bowed down.**_

thea was sobbing with Slade whispering in her ear, calming reassures.

_**Amazing. You have resolve I didn't credit you for."**_

_**Or perhaps, he truly doesn't know anything. Yes. You should put him out of his misery."**_

_**He was heading out of the tent, when a guard came flying in and they both fell to the ground. The man in the mask turned around, in time to see Yao Fei shoot an arrow that severed the bonds that were holding Oliver to the pole. Then he fired another arrow, this time straight at the mask. But the man caught it and broke it in two, pulling his sword out seconds later. A fierce fight ensued, in which Yao Fei managed to block every punch and land a few of his own. He knocked the masked man out, before helping Oliver stand up and quickly fleeing with him through an opening in the tent**_

"Yao Fai!" Thea yelled , startling everyone present. " He came back for Ollie" Thea was smiling happily at her brothers savior.

_**.Yao Fei had led Oliver into the cave and helped him lay down.**_

_**"I tell you. Island dangerous. But you not tell them where to find me. You stronger than I thought."**_

_**He gave him a small pouch with herbs.**_

_**"Take it. I lead them off. You stay."**_

_**Oliver took the herbs and Yao Fei started walking away from him.**_

_**"Remember. Everything breathe. You breathe, you survive here longer."**_

_**Oliver was struggling to stand up.**_

_**"I'm coming with you."**_

_**Before he could take two steps, a big rock fell right in front of the opening. He looked at it with wide eyes. He was trapped.**_

Felicity looked over at Thea and glared. She was too close to Slade for her comfort.

_**Oliver way lying down next to the small fire, ripping sides out from his father's book and throwing them into the flames to keep them alive. Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder and he jumped, turning around. The face of Robert Queen appeared on the screen.**_

_**"Dad?"**_

Thea watched confused " what..." Slade chuckled " he's seeing things , no food and water will do that" Slade commented.

Arrow

_**Oliver scrambled to his feet, putting distance between himself and his father.**_

_**"You died."**_

_**"I asked you. I begged you to survive. But if you don't think you can."**_

_**He reached behind him and pulled out a gun.**_

_**"There's still one bullet left."**_

_**Oliver grabbed the gun, but Robert didn't let go of it.**_

_**"But, Oliver. My death is made meaningless by yours."**_

_**He let go of the gun and Oliver shifted it over to his right hand.**_

_**"I'm starving. I'm gonna die anyway. And I just want it to be quick. I want it to be quick like yours was."**_

_**"You can survive this."**_

_**Oliver shook his head.**_

_**"No, I can't. I'm not as strong as you think I am. And I'm sorry."**_

_**He put the gun to**_ his_** temple and pulled the trigger.**_

Thea gasped grabbing at Oliver. " I'm okay I'm okay" Oliver said hugging his sister tightly.

_**The gun clicked, showing that it was empty. Oliver threw it away in anger.**_

_**"Of course it doesn't work. I'm hallucinating. Or I'm dreaming."**_

_**"But if you weren't. You betrayed me Oliver. I died so that you could live, and you threw that gift made that sacrifice empty."**_

_**Oliver looked up at him again.**_

_**"I'm not you. I'm not as… I'm not strong like you. I never was."**_

_**"I told you I'm not the man you think I am. The things I've done. What I was about to do."**_

_**He started walking away from him and Oliver followed.**_

_**"Dad. Dad! What does that mean? Please. I don't know what it means."**_

_**"I told you. I begged you. Right my wrongs!"**_

everyone started in shock. Felicity got up and hugged Oliver, Slade was looking thoughtful.

_**This is your responsibility now."**_

_**"How?"**_

_**Olivers voice sounded dejected.**_

_**"How do I do this?"**_

_**He smiled suddenly.**_

_**"I can't even get off this island."**_

_**Robert grabbed his shoulders.**_

_**"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about me. But I hope, I hope that you know, that I love you."**_

_**Oliver nodded, before suddenly waking up. He gasped and looked around the cave, before pulling another page out of the book and almost putting it in the fire. What stopped him was the text that appeared on the page as soon as he got it close to the flames. Quickly, he opened the book and put it close to the flames, looking on as a list of names appeared.**_

_**"My responsibility."**_

_**He closed the book and looked into the flames.**_

_**"I promise, dad. I promise."**_

"the arrow is how you started" Felicity said. Oliver nodded " once I got off the island" arrow spoke up, stoping Oliver from having to answer.

_**The scene**_ changed_** again. Oliver was sitting against the side of the cave, when the opening started to get cleared out. He opened his eyes slowly, and saw a figure come in. Yao Fei stopped inside the cave.**_

_**"You not dead. Good."**_

_**There was a slight smile on his face. He put a small canister of water and a dead rabbit on the ground. Oliver leaned away from the wall.**_

_**"Where the hell have you been? I ran out of food and water days ago."**_

_**Yao Fei left again and Oliver tried to stand up to follow him.**_

_**"Hey. Hey! Where are you going?!"**_

_**Not being able to stand up, he quickly moved to open the canister with water, when Yao Fei came back inside and threw a person at the ground. Oliver's eyes widened when he saw that it was Fyers.**_

_**"You."**_

_**Oliver punched him, his starvation and weakness causing him to fall down as well.**_

" nice one kid" Slade smirked. Oliver smirked at him.

_**Oliver moved**_** back**_** to Fyers, but Yao Fei grabbed his shoulder and threw him backwards.**_

_**"Stop!"**_

_**Oliver sat up and pointed at Fyers.**_

_**"He's the one who tied me up and had me tortured. All because he was looking for you. He would have killed me if you didn't show up!"**_

_**Fyers was watching the exchange with shock.**_

Thea watched in amusement then confusion at fyers.

_**Yao Fei pulled out his knife and stretched it out towards Oliver.**_

_**"Then you kill him?"**_

_**Oliver looked up at the knife and seemed to calm down slightly.**_

_**"Or he can take you home."**_

_**"What?"**_

_**Oliver looked up in disbelief. Yao Fei crouched down and pointed the knife at Fyers.**_

_**"He has a plane. A way for you off this island."**_

_**Oliver looked both hopeful and terrified.**_

" but that's not how you got off" Curtis spoke up. Oliver shook his head.

_**Yao Fei was leading them through the forest, while Fyers and Oliver walked further behind him. Fyers started to talk suddenly.**_

_**"You're a good man. I can see it. Well, beneath the privileged upbringing, and the wealthy veneer. I saw it when my man tortured you. You wouldn't give up your friend. Not even a friend, really. Someone you just met."**_

_**"Shut up."**_

_**Oliver clutched the knife Yao Fei had given him. Fyers was clearly not bothered by that.**_

_**"What do you know about him? Nothing, I suspect. Do you even know that this island really is? It's a prison. I mean this literally. Until eight years ago, the chinese military operated this island as a penitentiary. The criminals deemed so dangerous they couldn't be safely incarcerated on main land. When the military shut the program down, my unit came in and disposed of all the inmates. With the exception of two. Your friend was one of them."**_

_**Oliver grabbed his arm and stopped him.**_

_**"Who was the other?"**_

_**"You met him. He presided over your interrogation."**_

_**"He tortured me."**_

_**"You had information I needed. What would you do in my position? What would you do to capture the man who slaughtered dozens of people?"**_

_**Oliver looked over to where Yao Fei had stopped and was watching them.**_

noone said anything, Slade patted Oliver on the back.

_**Oliver seemed to consider that, before grabbing Fyers' arm and pushing him forward again.**_

Arrow* " smart move Ollie , don't trust him" Laurel said smiling at him. Oliver smiled back at her.

_**They continued through the forest until Yao Fei pulled a radio out and stopped them.**_

_**"Call your people. Tell them to bring the plane."**_

_**Fyers smirked.**_

_**"There is no need Yao Fei. My people will be here shortly."**_

_**He turned to the shocked archer.**_

_**"Do you not think it convenient, that you captured me so easily?"**_

_**Yao Fei started looking around. Suddenly, the man in the mask walked out from behind a tree.**_

_**"Go."**_

_**"What?**_

_**"Run!"**_

_**Yao Fei pulled on his hood, as Oliver turned around and sprinted into the woods. A fight broke out, where Yao Fei was once again winning, until the other soldiers got involved as well. Oliver, who had been running away from the fight as fast as he could, stopped just in time to see the man in the mask knock the archer out and the soldiers picking him up.**_

Ollie!" Thea growled. Slade stayed silent. " Now it starts" Slade whispered.

*Arrow*

**Oliver had stuck the knife into the ground and was trying to get a fire going.**

everyone watched the screen. Slade was sitting back watching with a smirk. This caused Oliver to glare at him.

**A small flame appeared.**

**"**im so proud" Slade mocked. Felicity glared hatefully at the ex ASIS agent. Oliver shook his head. " There's definitely a story here" dig laughed. Thea was just watching the screen.

**He tried to warm his hands by the flame, when he heard leaves rustling not far from him. A look of fear appeared on his face, and he quickly threw earth on the flame, killing it. He grabbed the knife and took off into the forest again. A soldier walked up to where he had been, looked down at the smoking remains of the fire and lifted his walkie talkie.**

**"I have contact. Two clicks south west."**

**The young man was not far from there. He was hiding behind a tree, the knife clutched in his shaking head. Suddenly, his fear turned into determination.**

" Dont try kid" Slade said worried. Thea was watching while. Laurel hid her face behind dig. " I can't watch"

**Oliver came out from behind the tree and tried to attack the soldier, who easily turned them around and pinned Oliver to a tree. He knocked the knife out of his hand and they struggled with each other for a moment, before they went tumbling down the hill. The man landed first, his back cracking loudly against the stone when Oliver landed on him. The young man continued rolling until he ended up in the water. He pulled himself out, gasping, and clung onto a stone, as he watched the soldier's body with horror.**

" wait it was seriously an accidental kill!" Slade suddenly boomed. Oliver laughed. " I told you that! " Oliver snapped back at his mentor. Slade nodded and smiled softly at him. " Good job" Thea smacked Slade. The young woman not at all pleased at him.

**The scene changed to where Oliver, dressed in the soldier's uniform, was hiding the man's body in a pile of branches and leaves, before standing up with a grunt. In one of the pockets he found a bunch of keys, which he put back in, and in the other he found a map. He opened it and tried to orient himself on it.**

**He seemed to find what he had been looking for because he put the map back in his pocket, grabbed the man's weapon and started walking through the forest again. He got to a place where he heard voices and quickly pulled the balaclava over his face, before walking to where soldiers were getting their food.**

" you went back for him!" Felicity glared . Oliver just nodded watching. Thea moved her legs and placed them on Slade's lap, who looked at her Iooked Confusion.

**Oliver walked over to the kitchen and a man talking mandarin approached him. Oliver looked at him with clear confusion.**

**"Different day, same slop."**

**And, when Oliver didn't answer, he added.**

**"You knew?"**

**"Yeah."**

**The man laughed.**

" don't get caught kid." Slade said queitly.

**Don't worry. Took me a year to find my way around the island."**

**He started to walk away, so Oliver called after him.**

**"Well, hey, hey hey! I'm supposed to be transporting a prisoner. Chinese guy, wears a green hood."**

**The man looked up at him.**

**L**aurel and Lance frowned at that.

**"Sounds like the guy they took to the east camp. I'm heading over that way. Come on. You can hitch a ride. Let's go! Come on!"**

**Oliver looked down at the food, before putting it down and following the man. They walked over to the car and got in.**

"**Hold up! Hold up!"**

**Fyers came limping into the road delegating soldiers away.**

**"Unit one, two!"**

**Yao Fei stepped out of the car and Fyers got into the back. As they drove away, it was clear that Oliver didn't know what to do.**

" your doing well. " Dig stated. Curtis nodded at Oliver.

**Were you stationed by the perimeter?"**

**"Yes."**

**"And your report?"**

**Oliver hesitated for just a split second.**

**Everything's good, sir. No trouble."**

**"How long have you been stationed here?"**

**"Just arrived, sir."**

**"Yes, you do seem rather green."**

**Thought I didn't recall a submarine bringing in new recruits lately."**

**Panic flashed in Oliver's eyes before he answered.**

**"Submarine? I thought everyone came to the island on a plane."**

Everyone watched silently at Oliver. Slade looked again to be thinking.

**Fyers smiled.**

**"Indeed they do."**

**Oliver closed his eyes in relief.**

Everyone let out a breath of relief

**Oliver, Fyers and a few other soldiers were walking outside a row of cages.**

**"See this is where we detain prisoners prone to running off, before I'm finished with them."**

**Just as Oliver was turning to him, he brought the cane up and hit Oliver in the face. The blow was so hard, that the young man fell to the ground. Immediately, soldiers surrounded him. Fyers leaned down and pulled his balaclava off his face, revealing that the hit had made Oliver's lip bleed.**

**"Prisoners like you, mr Queen."**

" He sold him out!" Dig exclaimed. Oliver and Slade shared a look.

**Oliver was sitting in a cage, handcuffed to one of the bars. Fyers stood outside of it.**

**"Do you know why my men wear balaclavas, mr Queen?"**

**Oliver just pulled angrily at the handcuffs.**

**"Because it masks everything but the eyes."**

**Oliver glared up at him.**

the girls looked at Oliver saddly.

**"And in a man's eyes, one can always find the truth. You risked everything to save your friend. Someone I warned you about. And yet you trusted him. But that trust was misplaced."**

**He took a step back and the soldier standing next to him pulled his balaclava off. Oliver's eyes widened when he realized that it was Yao Fei. The scene changed again. Yao Fei was standing in front of Oliver's cage. The young man was sitting in a corner, glaring at him.**

**"You're working for them now?"**

Thea looked up to see on screen Oliver in a cage. " When do you come in." She asked Slade. Sara answered for him. " Soon Thea your boyfriend comes in soon." Slade suddenly moved away from Oliver and Thea.

**"Why are you doing this to me? I thought we were friends. Or, something. Why did you bother keeping me safe, if you were just going to hand me over to them? Just get me out of here."**

**"I can't."**

**Yao Fei put a cup on the door and started walking away. Oliver got to his feet and ran over to the door.**

**"Hey! Don't leave me here! I came back for you! You hear me?! I came back for you!"**

**Not getting any reaction out of the man, he knocked the cup over and sat back in the corner again.**

slade sat down in his own little love seat. Away from the teasing looks of the future team arrow.

*Arrow*

**Yao Fei was leading Oliver through the camp.**

**"Alright. I'm out of the cage now. What's going on?"**

**Yao Fei just pushed him forward again.**

**"Are we getting out of here? Where are you taking me?"**

everyone was now watching the screen. Slade was forced by Thea to rejoin her and Oliver. Oliver slapped Slade lightly on the back and smiled softly at him.

**Yao Fei led him to a circle of men. They were standing around two people fighting. One of them was the man in the mask. The other seemed to be a prisoner. Oliver watched with terror as the man in the mask beat the prisoner to the ground.**

**Wintergreen looked up at Fyers, who nodded. With one swift move, he threw the soldier into the air, pulled out a sword and cut off his head. Fyers walked into the ring.**

**"While I admit that bout was particularly one sided, would anyone else like to give it a try?"**

**Yao Fei pushed Oliver into the ring, and the young man looked up with fear as Wintergreen came closer to him.**

"who's that" Thea asked. Oliver just glared at the screen with utter hate. " Noone worth remembering" Slade looked at Oliver with a look of confusion. Thea did the same. " Ollie!" Oliver sighed softly " okay that's the man that tortured me and Slade a year before I got to the island. "! Oliver said hugging Thea. " What a asshole!" Everyone laughed at Thea remark. Smiling.

**The point, of theses little gladiatorial distractions, is to strengthen unit cohesion. To that end, I think our newest recruit ought to be afforded the opportunity to try his hand."**

**Oliver looked over to Yao Fei with wide eyes. The man took off his weapon and stepped into the ring. Oliver was knocked around a few times, before Yao Fei put him in a chokehold.**

" ha I know that move!" Dig laughed. Oliver just smirked. " Yeah cause I used it on you" Oliver said with a smile.

**He held him this way until Oliver seemingly died and then dropped him to the ground. The scene changed. Oliver was lying on a cliff, a soldier getting ready to throw him down a waterfall. Just as he was about to do it, Yao Fei spoke up.**

**"Wait! I'll do it."**

**Fyers nodded and Yao Fei walked over to Oliver. He rolled him off the cliff and into the water. Oliver floated there for a moment, before coming up, gasping for air. He quickly got out of the water and checked the pocket to see if his notebook was still there. Noticing something else, he pulled out a map. He got a flashback to Yao Fei pressing down onto his neck, and placing the map in his pocket, before rolling him off that cliff. He looked up to the top of the map, where someone had made a red x and written something.**

thea gasped lightly as Laurel and Felicity grabbed Oliver to make sure he was there.

**"Shengcún. Survive."**

**He stood up and started walking into the forest.**

Slade sat back "here I am!" Thea looked at the screen and raised an eyebrow " it's nothing worth gloating over. " She said. Slade smirked at her comment and Oliver tried hiding a laugh.

" It is speedy! "


	3. Interducing Slade Wilson

**Oliver approached a plane wreck in the middle of a clearing.**

Slade frown but just got comfortable.

**He entered the plane slowly, not trying to hide his footsteps at all. Suddenly, Slade dropped down from the ceiling and grabbed his arm, putting a sword to his throat.**

Thea was watching Slade. " You got to teach me that." She said looking at Slade. " Oliver can do it to who do you think taught him"

**Titch and I'll open your throat. How many more are with you?"**

felicity glared and tried slapping Slade but the arrow grabbed her arm gently yet firmly.

**"What?"**

**Oliver sounded really scared. Slade grabbed him harder.**

**"You have ten seconds to tell me something I believe before I cut out your voice box."**

thea again gasp e in shock before slapping Slade on his arm. " What a charmer" dig laughed. Slade chuckled softly _ I didn't know who he was"

**"W… Wait. Yao Fei sent me here and I'm pretty sure it wasn't so you could kill me."**

**Slade pushed him away, still keeping his sword pointed at him.**

**"What?"**

**Oliver tried to ignore the sword as he answered.**

**"Yao Fei. He gave me directions to your…"**

**He glanced around.**

**"Plane."**

thea and Laurel burst out laughing at Oliver's remark towards the plane. Slade chuckled softly. Rolling his eye " really girls?"

**The scene changed. Slade was holding the map that Oliver had gotten from Yao Fei and pointing at the red x.**

**"Shengcún."**

**"It's chinese. It means…"**

**"Survive."**

**Slade looked up at him with almost amusement.**

dig watched it more and chuckled himself.

**"What do you think he meant? Besides not getting killed."**

**Slade looked at him, before starting to walk around.**

**"There's an airfield, ten clicks from here. It's key off this island. Yao Fei and I have been observing it for months. Familiarizing ourselves with their operations. We were supposed to get off this island together. But then Yao Fei was compromised. We were separated."**

Sara paused the screen and quickly asked if anyone was hungry. Everyone nodded. Sara voiced into the com and Joe Wilson walked into the screening room. He set the food in front of Thea. Who swooned. " He's OMG is that a younger Slade! " Thea gasped out. Slade choked on his drink and Oliver laughed. " No Thea that's Joe. " Oliver said. Laurel was startin to stare at Joe.

**He opened a crate, pulled out two swords and threw one of them at Oliver. The boy caught it and looked up.**

**"What's this for?"**

**"I think Yao Fei sent you because he knows I cannot take the airstrip alone."**

**Oliver sighed.**

**"Sounds like Yao Fei."**

**"He is a softer judge of character than I am."**

_"Now that's definitely true" Oliver said with a smirk. _

**Oliver looked at him with worry.**

**"If you're going to have my back, I need to know you can cover it."**

**And then he attacked.**

Thea gasped loudly as did Felicity and Laurel. All the girls glared at Slade.

**Oliver stopped the first attack, ducked under the second and stopped the third. With one quick move, Slade pushed his blade away and put his own sword against Oliver's neck. To his credit, the young man didn't even flinch.**

Thea jumped up "slade!" said man just shrugged

**"What are you doing? Fight back."**

**Oliver tried, but it ended in him dropping his weapon after Slade hit him in the stomach.**

Dig Winced slightly " okay I felt that. " Oliver smirked "he hits hard!"

**"Keep your blade up. Always stay behind your sword."**

**Oliver picked it up quickly and attacked again, only to get thrown into the crates. Slade looked down at him.**

Thea glared at Slade " what is that proving at all." Slade just looked at her and shrugged. " back then I didn't know him of trust him. I needed to know if he could have my back. " Was all Slade said before sitting back.

Thea was really conflicted , she was seeing what Oliver called the true slade.

**"You have no skill. No strength. No training. To say you fight like a girl would be a compliment."**

**Oliver stepped closer to him.**

"**Slade!" was yelled by every female in the room. **

**"I told you. I'm not a soldier. I was shipwrecked here. I killed the guy who was wearing this uniform by accident."**

**"Where was Yao Fei?"**

**"He told me to run. And I did."**

" wrong thing to csay to him man!" Curtis winced.

**Slade got a disgusted expression on his face, before knocking Oliver out with the handle of his sword.**

Thea Smacked Slade hard. " stop hitting my brother!" this caused Joe to grab her lightly and move her away from his father. " let's sit over here "

" You knocked him out!" Thea was glaring at Slade.

**Oliver woke up tied to a chair. Slade, who had been drinking, turned around when he noticed that his captive had awoken.**

Thea was glaring at Slade. She was now back to being mad at him.

**"Sorry. It's nothing personal. The airstrip is a heavily fortified position. I've been there. And I can not take it on my own."**

**He drew one of his swords and moved to put it against Oliver's throat, but stopped himself when Oliver spoke up.**

**"So what?! You're just gonna kill me?!"**

**Quickly, he put the blade to his neck.**

**"Like I said. It's nothing personal."**

Thea and Everyone gasped in shock at the seriousness in slade's voice.

**Behind his back, Oliver started to struggle to get his hands free.**

Everyone held there breath. Slade smirked in amusement.

**"But if you're alive they will find you, and if they find you they will torture you until you give up my location. And I cannot allow for that to happen."**

**He pulled the blade away and Oliver quickly stood up.**

**"Hey! No, wait! Please don't do this, alright. I'm not gonna say anything to them."**

**Slade simply threw him back onto the chair.**

" Why didn't you get him a chance to speak. " dig asked. " I needed him to prove he wanted to Live"

**"Don't make it more difficult upon yourself. I can do this in a way that you will not feel at all."**

Thea gasped in shock. Yelling out Slade's name in anger.

**Right then, Oliver managed to dislocate his thumb and shouted in pain and he leaned forward. Slade looked down at him with slight surprise. Slowly, Oliver stood up and punched Slade in the face. The man grabbed him by his shoulder, laughing. He took hold of Oliver's hand and shook it.**

**"Slade Wilson."**

**"Oliver Queen."**

**"Well, Oliver Queen, there might be a fighter inside of you after all."**

Thea smiled at them. " You two are adorable!" She laughed. This caused dig and everyone to laugh. But Joe glared at the screen while his future self Left the room.

_"_**_You know this does not change anything, between you and I. It takes two men to take the airfield. If you compromise my getting of this island, I will kill you."_**

Felicity glared at that. " Maybe we'll get lucky and he kills you!"

"**_You've had your second chance."_**

**_"You need me just as much as I need you."_**

**_Slade laughed quietly._**

**_"So what's our next step?"_**

**_"Turning you into something that won't get us both killed."_**

Everyone laughed at that. Thea wrapped her arms around her legs as she watched. " that's mean to say! Slade just chuckled at her.

**_Slade pointed to the side._**

**_"Choose a weapon."_**

**_"We're starting now?"_**

**_Slade glared at him, so he looked down, before standing and walking over to one of the crates. He opened it and looked at the weapons, before something caught his eye. Very slowly, he grabbed that thing and turned it around, revealing it to be the black and orange mask._**

felicity glared at Slade angrily. Trying to smack him but The arrow grabbed her wrist. " Be glad it was me " was all he said letting her go.

Thea was now leaning against slade's chest pouting angerily. " Can I .." she started. " No" Slade said.

**_Behind him, Slade smiled._**

_"_**_That's mine."_**

"No the smartest thing to say Slade! That freaked me out!" Oliver laughed. Slade smirked, a small laugh leaving his lips. " And you smiled! After" this remark cause Lance to laugh at Slade.

**_Oliver turned to Slade._**

_"_**_You're the lunatic who tortured me."_**

**_He stepped closer to Slade who was now standing up._**

_"_**_No. That was another guy."_**

**_Bull!"_**

" Again weak thing to say" Thea said laughing as she got comfortable in slade's lap. She let out a sigh of annoyance and laid back.

**_Oliver was staring at him with both anger and slight fear in his eyes._**

_"_**_This mask. It's my operational equivalent to a balaclava."_**

**_My partner and I wore them to keep our identities classified during our missions."_**

_"_**_You're lying. Fyers told me that this nutcase is a prisoner on the island!"_**

**_Oliver's voice was rising._**

_"_**_And Fyers is such a trustworthy individual?"_**

**_Slade was keeping his calm._**

" I would have snapped at him by now" Lance said. Slade smirked an nodded. " well I have a son I know how to handle the kid" Slade replied.

Joe frowned slightly , looking at his father.

**_His voice got softer._**

_"_**_He lied to you. My partner and I came here to free Yao Fei and get him off this island. We're ASIS. Australian Intelligence."_**

**_Something in Oliver's face relaxed, showing Slade that he believed him._**

_"_**_Now. You're going to find yourself a weapon. Have you considered a sword? I like swords."_**

**_He smiled at him._**

Thea burst into giggles. Laurel was shaking her head.

Lance looked like he saw a ghost. " that statement with that smile is scary!"

**_The scene changed to Slade and Oliver training in front of the plane. Oliver attacked and Slade had him on the ground with just a few moves, putting his knife to the boy's neck._**

_"_**_Dead."_**

_**Oliver now had the knife and was attacking Slade. Once again, Slade had him on the ground with just a few moves.**_

_"I need to learn that! " Thea yelled. Oliver smiled. " I'll teach you, or Slade can. He's a great trainer. " Oliver says. This made the arrow smirk. " very great trainer " he said gripping slade's shoulder. " better brother" was whispered. _

_**They were training with bamboo sticks and it looked as if Oliver was actually doing a good job.**_

_**Oliver was keeping up with Slade, until the older man suddenly left the rhythm they had and hit him across the face, sending Oliver falling to the ground.**_

**_Oliver left his sticks on the ground as he stood up. Slade paced a bit back and forth._**

_Everyone winced. "Ouch, that's gotta hurt" Curtis said. Slade smirked " it was fun though" this remark caused Thea to elbow Slade in the stomach. _

_"_**_How did you survive here for six months? I know girl scouts who have more fight in them."_**

**_Oliver smirked._**

_"_**_Fighting girl scouts now, Slade, huh?"_**

"Burn!" was yelled around the room. Oliver groaned remembering the reply to the jab.

**_Moving quickly, Slade smacked his hand with one of the sticks._**

_"_**_Ow! What the hell?!"_**

_"_**_Listen, kid. We have ten days until the supply plane lands. Ten days to turn you into at least half a soldier. So start taking it seriously."_**

" you're a hard ass trainer" Curtis said. Dig nodded in agreement. " On that island I had to be" Slade said

**_Oliver tried attacking with one stick, only for Slade to disarm him and beat him to the ground. He stood up, grunting in pain._**

_"_**_What is the point of this?! These soldiers don't carry bamboo, they have guns! So what am I supposed to do if one of them jams a gun in my face, huh?! Threaten him with my stick?!"_**

Thea frowned while felicity looked happy that Oliver yelled at Slade. " Good job Oliver" she said queitly.

**_Slade dropped his sticks to the ground and pulled his gun out. Quickly, he turned it so that the handle was towards Oliver and stretched it out to him._**

_"_**_Jam this in my face."_**

**_Oliver hesitated, so he glared at him._**

_"_**_Do it!"_**

_"Hey!" Thea suddenly jumped up. Causing Slade to release his hold on her arms. " you taught him that.!" She grinning like child at a Christmas store. Slade laughed. " yes , he learned quickly. " _

**_The young man grabbed the gun and lifted it. Almost immediately, Slade deflected the weapon to the side. Then he turned around and hit Oliver in the kidneys, before flipping him over his shoulder and onto the ground. As soon as the boy landed, Slade pointed the gun at him._**

**_Oliver raised his hands in defeat._**

_"_**_I give up! I give up."_**

**_Slade grabbed his jacket and yanked him to his feet. His voice sounded angry when he spoke, the gun pointed at Oliver's face._**

Thea gasped. Laurel was looking concerned.

_"_**_There is no giving up to these guys! No crying or buying your way out of it! You have two choices. Escape or die. So choose!"_**

**_Without hesitation, Oliver answered:_**

_"_**_Escape."_**

Arrow paused the memory.

Thea looked at Slade and frowned. " that..that's how he knew" she whispered softly. Slade and Oliver looked at her in confusion. " on the island! With Chase , slade said those exact words! After to told taila to put a gun to Oliver's head!" Thea said. Oliver smiled " yes Thea that's how I knew he was on my side." Slade still looked confused.

"Then he left us all to be blown up!" felicity seethed at him.

" well you did kinda tell him after we got oout of the cages we didn't need or want him there." Curtis added. Lance nodded his head.

" then when you did need his help you just what expected it out of him. A voice from the door spoke. Arrow and Sara wipped their heads around to see Thea Queen Wilson.

"thought I'd come in to help play ref. You can call me Mia" she said sitting down next to Thea and Slade.

Arrow unpaused the memory and leaned towards his sister. " where's your worst half. " he whispered.

Mia smirked " on his way. Joe thought I'd be good for felicity to see him." She said.

**_Slade shifted his grip on the gun but didn't lower it._**

_"_**_Then let me show you, how not to die."_**

**_He pushed Oliver away and put the gun back in the holster. Then he picked up the sticks and threw one of them over to the boy. Without hesitation, Oliver attacked_**

"Go Oliver!" Thea smirked

**_Oliver and Slade were standing over some maps and pictures._**

_"_**_Lian Yu."_**

**_Oliver sighed._**

_"_**_It's the name of the island, I know."_**

**_Slade turned to him._**

_"_**_It's mandarin for Purgatory."_**

**_Slade smirked._**

_"_**_It is. Wonderful."_**

Slade laughed , shaking his head.

**_Oliver didn't let the man's tone get to him._**

_"_**_Is that the airstrip?"_**

_"_**_ASIS took satellite images of the whole island. This is Fyers' main camp."_**

**_He pointed at one of the pictures._**

_"_**_Where I was held for almost a year."_**

**_Oliver looked up at him._**

Thea got a sad look on her face hearing that. " did…that man you turtured Olli torture you" Thea asked.

Slade nodded.

_"_**_Do you think that's where Yao Fei is now? Cause we could get a message to him. Tell him we found a way off the island."_**

**_Forget about him."_**

**_Oliver blinked in shock._**

_"_**_This is the airstrip. And these infrared images show that there are at least ten soldiers guarding the perimeter at any given time."_**

"Shouldn't be too hard to get them out of the way?" Curtis commented.

**_Oliver laughed._**

_"_**_Too many of them for you?"_**

**_Slade smiled at him._**

_"_**_No. My problem is the guy here. In the tower."_**

"uh oh Ollie's gonna eat his words" Mia teased.

**_He picked up another picture._**

_"_**_It's a PATC. Portable Air Traffic Control Tower. The US government set up these for disaster zones. Like Thailand after the tsunami."_**

**_Oliver looked from the picture to Slade._**

"Yeah I am" Oliver laughed.

_"_**_So what's the problem?"_**

_"_**_The glass is bulletproof. I can't take out the tower guard with my sniper rifle."_**

**_And if he suspects anything is wrong, he'll radio Fyers and we're canceled. It will be up to you to take him out. Up close and personal. Are you ready for that?"_**

**_Oliver looked extremely hesitant, before he looked over to Slade._**

_"_**_Do you think I'm ready?"_**

**_He sounded almost as if he had given up, and would take any nice word he could get. Slade looked at him, something softening in his expression._**

"It's on! " Curtis yelped.

_"_**_What I think is there is only one supply plane every three months. We leave tomorrow, or we die soon afterwards. I bid leaving."_**

**_Oliver nodded slightly._**

_"_**_So get some sleep. We leave at 0600."_**

" time for beat rest! Cause Slade is always cranky in the morning." Oliver laughed. Mia smirked " he's a morning person for me" she smiled.

Everyone looked at her funny while felicity looked thoughtful. Slade inched away from Thea more.

**_Oliver went over to a bed made of crates and a blanket and sat down on it. He pulled out Laurel's photo and looked at it._**

_"_**_Don't worry."_**

**_He looked over to Slade._**

_"_**_You'll be back with your girlfriend soon enough."_**

**_There was something reassuring in his voice and it made Oliver lay down and fall asleep._**

" Aw Slade ever the father figure!" Laurel teased. Slade just rolled his eye.

**_*Dream sequence*_**

_**Oliver woke up in a bed and turned around to face Laurel.**_

**_Oh."_**

**_Laurel smiled._**

_"_**_Morning."_**

**_He smiled back briefly._**

_"_**_Please don't hate me."_**

_"_**_Why would I hate you?"_**

_"_**_For cheating on you with Sara."_**

**_Laurel's smile disappeared._**

_"_**_Did it hurt, Ollie?"_**

**_He frowned._**

_"_**_Did what hurt?"_**

_"_**_When they killed you."_**

**_A bullet wound appeared on Oliver's forehead._**

Everyone gasped in shock , Laurel looked like she was gonna be sick. " you were that worried.?" She asked Oliver. Oliver nodded.

**_Oliver jerked awake with Slade's hand on his arm._**

_"_**_Rise and shine."_**

**_He looked around in confusion and Slade smiled down at him before walking away. As soon as Oliver was up, the older man threw two bags at him and slung a rifle over his shoulder. Then he picked up the mask and looked at it, before dropping it back into the crate and closing the lid._**

" and it's show time! " Oliver says. Slade smirks. " you whined the whole way there!"

Thea giggled. Laurel had to hide a laugh. "What did you expect from a spoiled rich kid" Lance joked. This caused Curtis and dig to laugh as well.

_"_**_Come on! We're moving out."_**

**_He left the plane and Oliver followed after one last look around. They left the clearing side by side._**

**_Oliver and Slade were moving through the forest, the younger of the two clearly struggling to keep up with the other's tempo. Suddenly, Slade stopped and put his hand up, Oliver coming to a stop behind him. He looked around for a few seconds, before relaxing._**

_"_**_All clear."_**

_"_**_Could we… uh. Could we rest for a second?"_**

" Already! " Curtis snorted. Oliver hid his face in embassment.

**_Oliver sounded out of breath._**

**_You can rest on the plane."_**

"Slave driver!" Thea joked.

_"_**_Yeah, well. Really looking forward to that inflight movie."_**

**_He took a step forward and froze when he heard a sound. CLICK._**

**_Slade stopped and turned around, while Oliver looked down. There was a look of fear on his face._**

_"_**_Oh God."_**

Felicity gasped. Her face turning white. " you stepped on one too! " she asked. Oliver nodded " yeah thought I didn't get the resurence you got" he spoke turning to glare at Slade. Who looked at him innocently.

**_His voice was shaking slightly. Slade quickly put the rifle on the ground._**

_"_**_Don't move."_**

_"_**_Is it a mine?"_**

**_Slade put one hand up and glanced at Oliver to make sure that he stayed still, before laying down on the ground. He moved some of the dirt away to reveal a mine._**

Everyone breathed.

_"_**_Yeah."_**

_"_**_The soldiers mined the island?"_**

**_Oliver was clearly scared, but stayed where he was. Slade looked up at him._**

_"_**_No, it's probably Japaneese. Left over from World War 2. Still active. Impressive."_**

Thea crossed her arms. " stop admiring the Bomb!" Laurel patted her back. " he's a soldier Thea"

**_Can you disarm it?"_**

**_Slade stood up._**

_"_**_Without disarming you?"_**

"Slade!" was yelled by every female.

Arrow, Sara and Mia smiled at the group. So far only felicity had been openly hostile.

**_Oliver looked at him with fear. Suddenly, they heard voices approaching. Slade looked behind Oliver._**

Thea grabbed slade's arm again for the probably tenth time and squeezed it. The ex ASIS agent hissed as her nails dug in.

_"_**_Soldiers."_**

**_Oliver glanced back too._**

_"_**_They're gonna see us."_**

**_Slade quickly grabbed the bags Oliver was carrying._**

_"_**_They're gonna see you."_**

_"_**_Wait. Stop."_**

**_But the man just took off into the forest._**

Thea was now glaring at Slade angrily again. Slade smirked " just watch."

**_Oliver quickly pulled his balaclava out and put it on just as the three soldiers came up to him._**

"Smart move queen" Lance spoke softly.

_"_**_What are you doing so far from camp?"_**

_"_**_I got separated from my unit."_**

**Malcolm nodded.**

"**He's getting better at this."**

_"_**_Come with us."_**

_"_**_I…"_**

**_Oliver pointed down at the mine._**

"Defenitly a bad day!" Laurel laughed with siren.

_"_**_I can't. Kinda having a bad day, you know."_**

**_The soldier walked around him and, just as he was behind Oliver, a shout was heard. Slade came charging out of the forest, his sword drawn. Quickly, Oliver ducked, making sure to keep his foot on the mine. With a few moves, Slade killed all three men._**

"Oh that was hot" Mia whispered. Thea looked at her In Shock. " Don't call Slade hot. " arrow choked on his drink. And was about to reply when the doors slid open. Thea watched as an older Slade Wilson walked in, her mouth dropped.

Slade nodded to the veiwers and went to sit next to Sara an Mia. Mia whispered to him queitly. He nodded.

_**It was night. Oliver was rubbing two sticks together, trying to get a fire going.**_

**_Slade was cleaning his rifle and watching him._**

_"_**_Obviously you were never a boy scout."_**

**_Oliver looked up and annoyance was heard in his voice when he answered._**

_"_**_Yeah? What tipped you off?"_**

"Nope he wasn't!" Thea laughed.

**_Slade smiled._**

_"_**_You better hurry. The wolves come out at night."_**

**_Oliver stopped what he was doing and looked up._**

_"_**_There are wolves here?"_**

**_Slade kept watching him with a slightly amused smile._**

_"_**_Right. Of course there are, because what would the worst place on earth be without wolves?"_**

Everyone laughed at that. Oliver groaned. " is this part over soon!"

Sara smirked. "Nope"

_"_**_Well, the only thing that will keep them out, is fire."_**

**_Oliver started rubbing the sticks again._**

_"_**_You know, you're welcome to help!"_**

**_Slade's smile widened as he pulled out a lighter and started the fire. Oliver glared up at him._**

Thea and Laurel burst out laughing while Oliver glared at Slade angrily , who was doubled over laughing at that memory.

Mia had a smirk on her face. " he never told me about that?" she whispered softly to arrow. Wilson smiled. " I made a promise not too" he said nodding to arrow.

_"_**_Seriously?"_**

**_I've been working on this for two hours."_**

_"_**_I know. I was watching. Thank you, for the entertainment."_**

Thea had to cover her mouth. " asshole! " Oliver said laughing.

**_The scene changed to later that night. Oliver was sitting by the fire, looking at Laurel's picture._**

_"_**_You'll wear that thing out just by looking at it."_**

**_Slade came over to the fire and sat down across from him, staring into the flames._**

_"_**_Don't worry. She'll be waiting with flowers when you get back."_**

_"_**_I doubt it. Remember when I told you I was shipwrecked here?"_**

**_Slade looked up at him._**

" Uh oh. " Curtis muttered.

_"_**_Her sister was with me when the boat went down."_**

_"_**_That's funny. I never took you for being the bad boy. You seem to lack the spine."_**

_"_**_That's why I've gotta get home. To make this right."_**

Laurel moved towards Oliver and hugged him. Sara and arrow smiled.

_**Do you think you can sleep with your girlfriend's sister, and still make it right? You're dumber than I thought."**_

"Harsh but true" Lance said glared at Oliver.

**_Well, you don't really strike me as the kind of guy who accepts apologies, so."_**

**_Slade leaned closer to him._**

_"_**_Everyone is in this life for themselves."_**

_"_**_Learned that in Australian spy school?"_**

**_No. I learnt that here. Do you remember that I told you I had a partner?"_**

"Oooh a lesson!" Thea spoke.

**_Oliver put his arms around his knees and nodded. He looked calmer now._**

_"_**_Yeah."_**

_"_**_Do you remember the guy who tortured you?"_**

**_Oliver got a flashback to the torture._**

**_Oliver's eyes widened slightly._**

"Omg no way! " everyone yelled in an uproar. Joe looked down.

_"_**_That freakshow was your partner?"_**

_"_**_His name is Billy Wintergreen."_**

**_Oliver rolled his eyes._**

_"_**_Oh! Okey."_**

"Uncle Billy tortured you an Oliver?" Joe asked. Slade nodded. Oliver laid a hand on slade's shoulder.

_"_**_Our mission was to exfiltrate Yao Fei and to find out why Fyers and his men were so interested in him. But our bird was shot out of the sky before we even saw the airstrip."_**

" You were lucky to survive. " Lance said. Dig nodded " it's a rare thing for a plane to crash in one piece"

**_Oliver closed his eyes for a few seconds._**

_"_**_That's where I found you."_**

**_Slade nodded._**

Everyone listened to the memory, Thea was curled up.

_"_**_When Fyers took us prisoner, he asked us if we would join him and his men. Billy accepted Fyers' invitation. And I declined."_**

**_He was the godfather to my son. Joe."_**

**_He stood up._**

_"_**_And yet, he turned his back on me, without even thinking twice about it. Everybody is in this life for themselves."_**

**_He walked away, leaving Oliver to stare into the flames._**

"Trust issues" felicity said. Oliver nodded. " with good reason" Oliver added.

**_Oliver and Slade were sneaking through the forest, before they crouched down behind some crates. Slade pointed to the tower._**

_"_**_If you let him radio camp, we're done."_**

**_He pulled out one of his swords and gave it to Oliver._**

_"_**_What about the others?"_**

_"_**_You worry about your one. I'll worry about my ten."_**

"Ooh yaay action! " Thea squealed.

**_Oliver nodded and ran away. He stopped behind a car and pulled his balaclava down. From a hiding spot, Slade started taking down soldiers, Oliver moving closer and closer to the tower. Suddenly, Oliver ran straight into one of the soldiers. Before either of them reacted, Slade shot him down. Oliver just blinked, before continuing his journey. He crouched down behind some crates, waiting as a soldier was coming down the stairs from the tower. Slade took him and another soldier out and Oliver started moving again. Suddenly, Slade's gun ran out of bullets._**

_"_**_Damn."_**

Thea was watching intently at the scene. " sword time?" dig asked. Slade smirked at him.

**_He put it away and pulled his sword out. Meanwhile, Oliver was running up the stairs. He glanced in through the window and then ducked down again._**

" nice sneaking Oliver" dig laughed.

**_Five soldiers were walking in a group, when Slade suddenly came out behind them. With a few quick movements, he killed them all before running away again. _**

"Okay" Thea said looking at Mia with a look of awe. " your right that's hot" Mia smirked and grabbed Wilsons hand.

Slades cheeks went red.

_**The soldier was sitting at the desk, headphones on. Oliver opened the door quietly and snuck in, the sword held behind his back. He was a few steps away from the soldier, when he was noticed. The man stood up quickly and Oliver attacked. He was disarmed quickly and punched in the face. The soldier drew a gun and pointed it at him. Oliver went to grab it, but was punched away again.**_

_ Thea winced. Laurel looked concerned. " ouch that's gotta hurt" _

**_Oliver turned around, the man looking at him unimpressed. He reached for the phone, when a sword was suddenly stuck through his chest. Slade let him drop to the ground and Oliver quickly pulled the balaclava off._**

_"_**_One job to do, and you manage to screw up even that."_**

**_But there was no real anger in his voice. He was, in fact, smiling. He put the phone back in place._**

"burn but look Ollie your growing on him!" Laurel laughed. " that smile though, makes him look sexy!" Thea flirted.

Slade looked at the ground.

_"_**_I'm gonna go make sure everything is clear. Stay here, keep the door locked, do not let anyone in except for me. You got that?"_**

Laurel snorted " yes dad " Joe commented. Oliver shook his head, smiling lightly.

**_Oliver nodded._**

_"_**_Yeah."_**

**_Slade picked up the gun and gave it to Oliver._**

_"_**_Here. Keep this. And try not to shoot yourself by mistake."_**

" asshole comment Slade" Mia snorted. Thea nodded in agreement with her future self.

**_As soon as Slade left, Oliver put the gun away on the table. Slowly he walked over to the phone, lifted it, punched in a few numbers and waited._**

_"_**_Hallo?"_**

Laurel gasped, her hands going to cover her mouth. " OMG! He called me! "

Slade looked at Laurel and frowned.

**_He put his hand over his mouth in shock. The scene changed to Laurel walking through a school corridor._**

_"__Kid SPEAK!" Slade yelled. This caused everyone to laugh at slade's reaction. _

**_Hallo?"_**

**_Oliver was still standing with his hand over his mouth. Laurel pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it. Then she put it up again._**

_"_**_Is anybody there?"_**

_"__You actually got ahold of the outside and you go speechless! " Slade spoke calmly. Oliver nodded. " I was in shock!" _

**_Oliver lowered his hand, clearly not knowing what to say, when the phone cord was suddenly ripped off. He turned around in fear, only to see Slade glaring at him._**

_"_**_Have you lost your mind? They might be monitoring the calls."_**

**_Oliver sighed only to tense up when a voice was heard through the radio._**

" that's true though , so it's good you didn't say anything" Lance spoke up.

_"_**_Island tower, this is SkyHawk 801Foxtrot. We are 700 kilometers southeast of your position. Eta three hours, 22 minutes, over."_**

"Plane pilot?" Thea asked. Oliver nodded.

**_Slade grabbed the microphone and spoke into it._**

_"_**_Island tower. SkyHawk 801Foxtrot. Acknowledged."_**

**_No answer came._**

_"_**_SkyHawk 801Foxtrot. Acknowledged."_**

"That's not good" dig said looking forward.

_"_**_Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth."_**

"code word?" felicity asked. Both Slade and Oliver nodded.

**_Slade frowned._**

**_What is it?"_**

**_Oliver had worry on his face._**

Everyone held their breath.

_"_**_It's a challenge code. It's how they verify our identity."_**

**_He looked around before talking into the microphone again._**

_"_**_SkyHawk 801Foxtrot. Please repeat."_**

_"_**_Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth."_**

**_Sudden realization appeared on Oliver's face._**

" The one book I actually read in college" Oliver laughed at the memory of their luck. Slade joined in.

_"_**_Wait."_**

_"_**_What?"_**

_"_**_Wait. I know this. I know this. They picked the one book that I read in college."_**

**_Slade looked at him like he was crazy._**

_"_**_What the hell are you talking about?"_**

_"_**_It's a quote. From the Odyssey."_**

**_He started thinking harder._**

" of course it is" Lance says.

_"_**_Uh. Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth, nothing… nothing is born that is weaker than man."_**

**_Slade was staring at Oliver with wide eyes._**

"Nothing is bred Oliver" Laurel laughed rolling her eyes.

_"_**_Are you sure about this, because if you're wrong this plane will turn around."_**

_"_**_Yes. Yes. I'm positive. Nothing is born that is weaker than man. Say it."_**

**_Slade brought the microphone up when Oliver suddenly grabbed his arm._**

_"__OMG he remembered!" Thea laughed. " soooo lucky you grabbed him" Curtis laughed. _

_"_**_Wait! Wait, wait, wait. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Bred. Not born. Bred. Nothing is bred that is weaker than man. That's it."_**

**_Slade, keeping his eyes on Oliver, spoke into the microphone._**

_"_**_Nothing is bred that is weaker than man."_**

_"_**_Roger that. Be there in a few hours. Out."_**

**_Both men sighed out in relief, Oliver even laughing quietly._**

" you too have a good luck charm somewhere" Laurel was laughing. Everyone agreed with her.

_"_**_The Odyssey."_**

_"_**_Yeah. It's well… It's a story about a guy who is trying to get home."_**

_"_**_Well, after a few days at Landstuhl Air Base, you'll be on your way home."_**

_Oliver got a sad look " if only" _

**_Oliver looked at him with worry._**

_"_**_Wait. You're sounding like you're not coming with me."_**

**_Slade looked back at him._**

_"_**_I'll be coming with you. After I radio in an air strike on this location. I'm going to send Fyers and all his men straight back to hell."_**

" What about yao fai?" Thea asked in a whisper.

**_Oliver's eyes widened._**

**_Wait!"_**

**_Oliver's voice sounded oddly strong. Slade stopped and looked back at him._**

_"_**_You can't blow up the island. Yao Fei is still out there."_**

**_Slade walked back to Oliver who took a small step back._**

_"_**_He is not my concern."_**

_"Slade! Was again yelled by everyone. _

_"_**_Really? He's the only reason you came here. Rescuing him was your mission!"_**

_"__Ha! That's right remind him Ollie!" Thea and felicity yell to the screen. _

**_He poked Slade on his chest, his voice getting more and more angry._**

_"_**_Well, the mission has changed. Edward Fyers is a mercenary. And he is not on this island by mistake. He has plans for Lian Yu. They involve Yao Fei. Whatever they are, they must end."_**

_"Stop thinking like a soldier!" __Thea said angerily. Slade gave her a raised eyebrow. _

_Wilson snorted " Thea, he is a soldier" he replied. _

**_He got into Oliver's face, his voice angry, but Oliver didn't even flinch. He just shook his head slightly._**

_"_**_Yao Fei saved my life."_**

_"_**_That is your debt to repay. Not mine."_**

**_Without another word, Oliver walked past him only to stop when Slade grabbed his arm._**

_"Oliie!__" Everyone yelled. _

_"_**_Where are you going?!"_**

**_He pulled his arm from the grip, but stopped and turned back to Slade._**

_"_**_All my life, all that I ever thought about is myself. I took my family for granted. I betrayed people that I loved. And I'm not going to be that person anymore. I can't leave Yao Fei here to die. I won't."_**

_Laurel __had tears in her eyes. Thea and Slade we're looking at Oliver with respect. " that kind of loyalty is rare" Slade said. _

_" and to think " felicity started. " he learned that from you and yao fai" she said kindly. _

**_Slade seemed to consider that for a moment, before he spoke up._**

_"_**_The plane leaves in three hours. If you and your friend aren't on it, I am going to leave without you."_**

" your not leaving him Wilson!" Thea said smacking Slade for the first time in hours.

**_Oliver nodded and walked over to the door only to stop and turn around._**

_"_**_If I don't make it back in time, and you get out of here, I want you to call my family. Call my family."_**

_"Awww" all the girls cooed. _

**_An odd look crossed Slade's face, before he nodded._**

_"_**_Sure, kid."_**

"Cutest nickname ever!" Laurel says

**_Without another word, Oliver left and took off running into the woods._**

Everyone sat back waiting for the next scene to play. Slade leaned deeper into the chair while Thea stretched her body, laying her head on slades lap and her legs going onto Oliver's.

**_Oliver was running through the woods, until he reached the camp. He hid behind cars as he made his way through the camp, avoiding the soldiers. He noticed Yao Fei walking into one of the tents and quickly ran to the back of it. He got inside, Yao Fei standing up in shock._**

_"_**_How did you…?"_**

**_Oliver didn't let him finish._**

_"_**_Let's go. We're getting away."_**

_"_**_Stupid. You shouldn't have come back here."_**

**_Oliver shook his head._**

_"__Something's wrong" Lance said looking at dig. _

_"_**_I found Slade Wilson. He has a way of the island. We have to go. Now."_**

_"_**_No!"_**

**_Confusion appeared on Oliver's face._**

_"_**_What? What do you mean by no? This is our chance. What reason could you possibly have for staying here?"_**

_"__They already had shado?" Oliver asked Slade. " they must have" was his answer. _

_"_**_Not what. Who."_**

Oliver grinded his teeth. " they did"

**_Oliver frowned. Right then, the tent opened and Fyers stepped inside. Moving quickly, Yao Fei punched Oliver._**

**_Now, Mr. Queen. I think it's past time you left this island. Permanently."_**

**_Wintergreen walked up to them just before Oliver passed out._**

"No Ollie! " the girls cried.

**_The scene now showed the tower._**

_"_**_Island tower, this is SkyHawk 801Foxtrot. We are at 5000 feet and holding."_**

_" least the planes still coming. " Thea said. _

**_Slade raised the microphone._**

_"_**_SkyHawk 801Foxtrot, this is Island tower. You are clear to land."_**

_"_**_Roger that."_**

"Someone is worried." Curtis sang.

**_Slade looked down at his watch, before a determined look appeared on his face._**

"Yes!" was cheered around the room. " totally going after him!" thead squealed from slade's lap.

**_Oliver was brought to the middle of a ring of soldiers. Both Yao Fei and Fyers were there. His hands were tied behind his back, but it didn't look like he had been tortured this time._**

_" this guy is nuts if he wants you to fight again?" dig said. _

_"_**_Simply to satisfy my own curiosity. Why aren't you already dead? I saw Yao Fei choke you to death."_**

_"_**_I guess he's not as strong as he looks."_**

_"Burn!" Curtis whooped. _

**_Some of the soldiers laughed at that. Fyers glanced at them, before turning back to Oliver._**

_"_**_Still you return for him. So you're either a fool, or is it possible you now think yourself a hero?"_**

_"_**_I'm not a hero."_**

**_No, of course not. It's not possible to be a hero, when there is nobody worthy of saving."_**

_"what a asshole!" felicity glared. _

**_Oliver glanced over to Yao Fei._**

_"_**_Is this what you want? You want me to fight him again?!"_**

_"_**_Oh no, Mr. Queen. I'm sorry. You're mistaken. This is not a match. It's an execution."_**

_" Slade hurry up and get there!" felicity said. _

_Slade smirked " I'm already there, setting up my detraction." He said. _

**_Yao Fei spoke up quietly._**

_"_**_I'm sorry."_**

**_Slight fear appeared in Oliver's eyes when he noticed that Wintergreen had walked up behind him, but he quickly pushed it down._**

**_It's Wintergreen, right? Bill Wintergreen?"_**

_"__Seriously kid!" Slade glared knowing where Oliver was going with this. _

**_A punch almost threw him to the ground. He stood up again._**

_"_**_I know all about you. I know you worked for the Australian Government. That you used to fight for your country. You used to stand for something!"_**

**_A few more hits made him fall down to his knees._**

"Ollie don't taunt a trained killer" felicity, Thea and Laurel yelled.

**_Wintergreen drew his sword and cut through the rope holding Oliver, making him fall to his hands and knees. Just as Oliver was getting up again, he kicked him in the stomach and hit his head with the handle of the sword. Then he grabbed him by his throat. Oliver looked up at him, no hint of fear present._**

_"That's gotta hurt. " dig Winced. _

_"_**_Whatever he's paying you, I'll triple it."_**

"Really kid! " Slade laughed. " Hey! If he betrayed you for money" Oliver shrugged. " it did buy him time" Lance said

**_Just then, an explosion went off behind them, causing Wintergreen to let go of him._**

**_few more explosions went off and Fyers pulled out his radio, screaming into it._**

_"Slade!" Thea yelled happily. _

_"_**_How many of them are there?!"_**

**_He quickly ran away with Yao Fei, the other soldiers running and hiding as well, only to get blown up by the explosions. Oliver quickly ducked down behind one of the cars._**

" Coward!" dig and Lance called out to fyers.

**_Slade walked out from behind a car._**

_"_**_Slade."_**

**_He drew his sword as he moved closer to Wintergreen._**

Thea was glaring daggers at Wintergreen. " kill him! Please tell me you kill him! " Thea glared. Joe was also glaring at his god father.

_"_**_Come back to die?"_**

**_Slade charged at him and they started fighting, Slade holding his own against the masked man. Oliver was still crouched down behind the car, watching the fight. The two men drew away from each other after Slade managed to get a hit in._**

Everyone cheered. " your both evenly matched." Curtis said.

Dig nodded. " they were partners, so it's not far fetched that they knew each other's moves"

Oliver nodded. " it was the same when we fought when Slade was in the mirakuru. We knew each other's every move"

_"_**_Was it so easy to betray me, Billy?"_**

Thea held her breath.

**_This time Wintergreen attacked first and, after a few blows, managed to kick Slade down to the ground. Oliver's expression turned to worry as he saw his friend fall down._**

**_Slade used the low ground as an advantage and managed to punch Wintergreen a few times, before grabbing his head, and leaning close to his ear._**

" Ha! Evenly matched but we learn whose better!" Curtis yelled.

Slade and Oliver share a look.

_"_**_You know, Billy."_**

**_He pulled out Wintergreen's own sword and put it to his face._**

_"_**_You always had a good kick."_**

**_And he stabbed the sword in his eye, letting the body fall to the ground._**

"Eww gross!" Thea gagged , Laurel looked away. " that's gross. "

_**Oliver stood up and Slade turned to him. Which turned out to be a mistake. Fyers, who had been watching the scene from behind one of the cars, shot him in the arm, and the man fell to the ground. **_

_ Thea gasped clutching on to slade's arm. Slade easily pulled her closer. " I'm fine , it's a shoulder wound. " _

_**Oliver rushed over to him and picked up a gun that was lying on the ground. He fired it towards Fyers, as he pulled Slade up and started leading him away. None of his shots hit their target, but they gave them enough cover to get away.**_

_" Good job Oliver , get him out of there. " dig nodded his approval. _

_ **Oliver was leading Slade, when a soldier saw them and pulled out his gun. With a few quick moves, Oliver used the move Slade had showed him and managed to get the man on the ground, getting his gun at the same time.**_

_" Thea jumped up squealing " he did the move!" she said looking at Slade. _

**_Slade looked at him with a mix of surprise and pride. Oliver held the soldier at gunpoint, but clearly couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger. Instead, he hit him with the gun and knocked him out. Just then, a plane flew low over them. Both men looked up at it._**

Oliver sighed.

_"_**_There goes our ride."_**

" Damn!" Thea grumbled.

"Its okay Thea" Oliver comforted his sister.


	4. The Rise

_**Later, back at the fuselage, Oliver was digging Fyers bullet out of Slade's arm with a K-Bar knife. Slade screamed through gritted teeth, his arms flexing but unmoving thanks to the ropes that secured his wrists behind his back. Oliver finally managed to get the bullet out, and then stepped back to compose himself.**_

"You tied him up." Thea asked winced as she watched Slade scream. Oliver nodded. " I didn't understand at first either, but it was his request.

Slade looked over at Thea " a man in pain can be very dangerous and due to Oliver and I not knowing each other for long I didn't want to take the chance of hurting him. "

dig nodded at that statement. " that's true Oliver did that when he got hurt and that was his exact words to felicity" dig said. Felicity blushed

Arrow looked at sara. He was proud of how well it was going.

**"**_**Wow." Slade gasped in pain. "I'm impressed. You didn't puke."**_

**"**_**I swallowed it." Oliver admitted weakly.**_

**"**_**You can untie me now." Slade said which Oliver did.**_

**"**_**Why'd you want me to tie you up in the first place?" he asked.**_

_Thea and Laurel laughed at Oliver. " I know stupid question." _

**"**_**A man in pain is unreliable." Slade explained. "I was afraid I might kill you." He examined the wound. "Thanks." Suddenly Oliver started chuckling. Slade looked up at the boy. "What?"**_

**"**_**It's just… I'm trapped on an island and my only friend is named Wilson."**_

Thea burst in giggles. Slade looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Laurel taking pity on Slade answered " Slade Marvel comics, Wade Wilson is a sword loving motor mouth" she smirked.

"kid!" Slade snarled Oliver double overed laughing.

**"**_**So." Oliver moved off, sighing. "What now?" he asked.**_

**"**_**We hope my fireworks show set Fyers back, maybe enough for those who hired him in the first place to call things off." Slade said.**_

_" So fyers is just the middle man?" dig asked. Slade nodded. " exactly" _

**"**_**Hired him?"**_

**"**_**Well, Fyers is a merc. He follows the money. So he's on this island under someone's employ." Slade explained.**_

**"**_**Then what do we do?" Oliver asked.**_

_" way to ask the obvious. " Laurel joked. Oliver rolled his eyes. Slade just chuckled. " he did but that was also good meant he wanted to learn. " he spoke. _

**"**_**We have to make sure that neither of us dies on this godforsaken island." Slade said.**_

**"**_**I thought you said if we didn't get on the plane… we weren't going to make it." He said**_

_" oh Ollie " Laurel spoke sadly. Lance looked at Oliver an nodded. _

_**Slade looked at Oliver with a genuine smile. "Well, that dumb kid that I trained, he would never have made it. You?" He held out his hand, and Oliver grasped it firmly. "You might just have a chance." Slade declared.**_

_**That night at the Mercenary camp, Fyers was talking to employer on his satellite phone.**_

**"**_**Yes, it's Fyers."**_

_" great him. What's he planning now" Curtis spoke. _

**_Satellites showed multiple heat blooms on the island._**_** A man's voice said. **_**_What the hell is happening there?_**

**"**_**There was a complication."**_

**_Slade Wilson?_**

**"**_**I'm handling it."**_

**_Well, handle it better. I've worked too hard and planned for too long to have complications arise so close to the end._**

Slade smirked leaning against the seats. " not even there and I'm pissing him off"

**"**_**I assure you, it won't happen again."**_

**_What about Yao Fei?_**

**"**_**I've ensured his cooperation."**_

_" Shado" Slade and Oliver said looking at each other. _

**_Good. I've paid you a lot of money, Fyers. I expect a return on my investment._**

_**The call ended, and Fyers hung up his phone. He looked up to see Yao Fei walking towards him.**_

**"**_**You sent for me." The Asian man said.**_

**"**_**I'm a man of my word." Fyers said. "You made the right call today, turning in your young castaway. And for that, I'll grant you five minutes."**_

_**Fyers walked to the command tent, where a young, dark haired Asian woman lay on the ground. She was dressed in a tank top and cargo pants, and her hands were bound in front of her.**_

_Slade growled lowly his hand gripping his chair in a death grip. Thea looked at him and gently touched his hand. " Slade, it's okay" she whispered. Slade looked at her. He loosen his hold on the chair. Breathing deep. Thea never removed her hand from his. _

_**Shado? Shado! Shado!" he exclaimed, running to her and dropping to his knees. He pulled the woman into a hug.**_

**"**_**Fùqīn" she exclaimed.**_

**"**_**Wǒ hěn bàoqiàn" he told her.**_

_**She looked at him, confused, tears in her eyes. "Fùqīn, fāshēngle shénme?" she asked.**_

_" That's horrible! Kidnapping a girl as leverage" felicity said looking horrified at the scared Chinese girl. _

**"**_**Shh, shh, shh." He held her close. "Zhè jiāng hěn kuài jiéshù" he assured her. He held her close, his arms tightening around her back.**_

_**On her left shoulder was a tattoo of a dragon's head.**_

" that's" felicity said looking at Oliver. " yes Slade carved it into me after hours after the mirakuru took hold of him."

Slade looked down in shame. Thea squeezed his hand gently.

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Slade way laying in the fuselage, wracked with a fever and coughing up a storm. Oliver walked up to him and knelt down, handing him a cup of water.**_

_" infection?" Lance asked. Oliver nodded. " we didn't have anything to stop an infection" _

**"**_**Hey, hey." He called to the man to get his attention. "Drink."**_

_**Slade did so, then immediately spat it out. "That tastes like dirt." He complained between coughs.**_

_Everyone looked worried for slade's health. _

**"**_**You've got to stay hydrated, ok?" Oliver said.**_

**"**_**Hydration is not my problem." Slade argued. "My problem is getting a bullet dug out of my arm with a dull blade."**_

_" he's okay!" felicity yelled. Everyone looked at her. " he still has his dry humor" she added, Oliver chuckled. _

_**Let me take a look." Oliver said. Gingerly, he pulled back the bandage on his arm and grimaced.**_

_"Oh eww" Laurel, Thea and felicity all hid their faces. _

_**Slade groaned. "It's infected. Go figure."**_

**"**_**Yeah, uh I got to stop that before it spreads." Oliver declared. He stood up and started gathering some equipment.**_

_" Hes in bad shape" dig commented. Oliver nodded " I knew what could help." _

" the herbs?" Lance spoke up.

**"**_**When you swing past the drugstore for those antibiotics, you want to get me a copy of 'Maxim', or maybe a 'Sports Illustrated'?" Slade gasped sarcastically.**_

**"**_**Yao Fei had these super herbs back in the cave that'd heal anything." Oliver told the man. "I'm going to go get them."**_

_" Slade!" Thea scowled at him. _

_Slade just smiled at her shrugging his shoulders. " I thought it was funny." _

**"**_**You're not going to last an hour out there." Slade said bluntly.**_

_Thea slapped him on the back of his head. Felicity gasped. " Why don'tyou stop her from hitting him" Felicity had turned to the arrow , who looked through his mask. " I'm not suicidal" _

_Mia smirked at them. " I'm aloud to punish Slade Wilson how I see fit" she spoke. _

_Thea giggled before turning back to the screen. _

_Felicity sighed softly annoyed at the cryptic answer. _

**"**_**Well, I guess you better hope I get back in 45 minutes, then." Oliver replied glibly as he walked out of the fuselage.**_

_" Good job Ollie , sass him back" Laurel approved. _

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Oliver walked into the cave, pausing a moment to look at his former 'home'. Then he moved over to Yao Fei's supplies, rooting around for a moment before finding the small leather pouch that contained the herbs.**_

_Everyone cheered happily. _

_ **He put them in his vest and was about to leave when the sounds of someone coughing caught his attention. "Who's there?! " he called out, whirling around to face the cave's opening and turned on his flashlight to see a young man, his bearded face swollen and bloodied, his hands bound behind him staggering in.**_

**"**_**Help me." The man said weakly as he leaned against the cave wall. **_

_" no Ollie" Laurel said. _

_**The scene flashed back to the cave. Oliver stood in front of the beaten man, who had fallen to his knees.**_

**"**_**Who are you?" he demanded.**_

**"**_**My name is Alan Durand. I'm an exchange student. I was on a fishing excursion with my class. We got lost and our boat caught fire. It was some mechanic malfunction. We had to jump ship." He stammered out.**_

**"**_**When?"**_

**"**_**Two days ago." Adam replied, crying. "It was awful. I thought I was going to die."**_

**"**_**Where are the other students? Where's the boats crew, huh?" Oliver demanded, not sure if he believed him or not.**_

**"**_**I think I'm the only one who made it." Adam said. "I managed to get to shore. I thought I was lucky, but…"**_

_Slade leaned forward and glared at Oliver " you said nothing happened. " Oliver looked at him. " didn't need you worrying. " _

**"**_**What? Somebody found you?" Oliver said. "Soldiers, or-"**_

**"**_**Yes! Yes." Adam sobbed. They had these masks on and they attacked me and beat me. They left me here! Who are they?!" he sobbed harder. He looked up at Oliver with his one good eye. "You can untie me at any point, by the way." Oliver just stared at the man, unsure.**_

_Everyone watched the scene unfold. _

_**The scene flashed back to the cave. Oliver was still staring at the bound man uncertainly.**_

**"**_**I don't know when these men are coming back!" Adam sobbed. "You have to believe me. Untie me, please!" Oliver said nothing and did nothing, just stood there staring stoically. "What, do you think these men; they planted me here, some kind of trap or something?"**_

**"**_**I…" Oliver started hesitantly. "Well, why'd they tie you up like that and then just leave you? Huh? Why not just kill you?"**_

**"**_**They were going to!" Adam cried. "They got called away at some-some altercation somewhere else on the island. If they come back, they will kill both of us. Please! You have to believe me. Please." Adam pleaded tearfully.**_

_" He's good" Slade commented. Thea nodded. _

_**Oliver was torn. He wanted to believe… "All right, turn- all right, turn around." He said finally, gesturing with his knife.**_

**"**_**Thank you." Adam sobbed as he turned around slowly. "Thank you."**_

_**Slowly, Oliver approached. He bent over and placed the edge of the blade on the leather wrappings that bound Adam's hands…**_

_**And then pulled away.**_

_Everyone sighed softly in relief. _

**"**_**I'm sorry, but I can't." Oliver said, shining his light in Adam's unbelieving face.**_

**"**_**What? Why?! Why not?"**_

**"**_**Because I don't know you." Olive said, switching off his light and walking out of the cave.**_

_" That was the number one rule on Lian Yu , trust no one" Slade said. _

**"**_**Are you out of your mind?! Please! You can't do this! You can't just leave me here!" Adam cried out at Oliver's retreating back.**_

_Noone spoke up. Thea curled into slade's side. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Slade was drinking a tea with the herbs Oliver had gotten.**_

_" yay your okay!" Thea gushed lightly. _

**"**_**Ahh. It tastes like an ashtray." He complained, though his voice was stronger. He put the cup down. "But it does the job. I owe you one." He told Oliver. He noticed how distracted the younger man was. "You didn't get into any trouble out there, did you?" he asked worriedly.**_

**"**_**Hmm?" Oliver brought his attention back to his friend. "No." he lied. "Not a bit."**_

_Slade glared over at Oliver but didn't say anything. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Oliver was in the fuselage trying to do a pull-up- and failing, only making it halfway before he dropped to the ground.**_

_**Slade looked at him from across the downed plane, unimpressed. "Four." He tallied disgustedly.**_

" Oh oliie really " Thea looked at her brother in embassment. While Oliver tried hiding his face from veiw. Slade was hiding a smile.

**"**_**Well, I'm more of a runner." Oliver complained.**_

_Thea gave Oliver an unimpressed look. _

_**Slade just gave him a look, then walked over to the bar, jumped up, and started doing pull-ups with his legs extended out straight in front of him. Oliver sighed. "Why the sudden desire to work out?" he asked.**_

_Thea was gaping " oh my yummy" Thea whispered. _

_Mia smirked leaning towards her. " isnt he?" she giggled. _

**"**_**What else is there to do?" Slade countered, still doing pull-ups.**_

**"**_**Well, we can try to think of another way off the island." Oliver offered.**_

_"slade is hot" Thea whispered. Oliver smacked himself. " stop!" _

**"**_**There is no other way." Slade said, still doing pull-ups. "If there was, I would have found it."**_

**"**_**We can't just sit here and wait for Fyers to come and kill us." Oliver complained hotly.**_

_Felicity smiled " you could never sit still" she said. _

_**Slade finally dropped down from the bar. "I did have one idea." He said. "If you go into the forest and gather as much bamboo as you can find…"**_

**"**_**Yeah?" Oliver asked hopefully.**_

**"**_**We could build ourselves a boat, like they did on 'Gilligan's Island'." Slade finished sarcastically.**_

_Slade was once again lightly smacked by Thea. _

_**Oliver shook his head in disgust. Then out the corner of his eye, he noticed something- a radio. Interested, he moved over to examine it. "That's broken." Slade advised. "It got busted during the crash."**_

_" how did you just notice that thing" dig asked looking at Oliver. Oliver shrugged. _

**"**_**Did you try to get it to work?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**I'm better at pulling things apart." The soldier replied.**_

_" that's true" Oliver chuckled. _

_**Oliver moved to the back of the radio and began examining the wires. "My father was a pilot and he used to do his own maintenance." He said.**_

**"**_**So you're hoping aircraft maintenance is genetic?" Slade said incredulously.**_

_Everyone laughed at that. Wilson got up and left the room. Mia smiled. _

**"**_**No," Oliver replied, annoyed. "I used to help him and I liked it. Then I got pretty good at it. So maybe I can make the radio work."**_

_" " it's true slade" Laurel says smiling. _

**"**_**You should be training for the inevitable fight that's looming." Slade argued, going back to the pull-up bar and resuming his workout.**_

_Oliver groaned. " training was brutal! " Oliver said. _

**"**_**I think I have a better chance of making the radio work." He replied, getting to work.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Oliver was diligently working on the radio when Slade came back into the plane, carrying a large boar on a pole over his back.**_

_" Dinner time!" the girls said , all smirking. _

**"**_**I hope you like barbecue." He said. Oliver said nothing, no noticing Slade at all as he spliced wires together. "Well, don't fall over yourself thanking me for spending six hours up a tree so you can eat."**_

_" six hours?" Curtis asked. " with the soldiers it was the only way I could hunt." Slade answered. _

**"**_**What?" Oliver asked distractedly, finally looking over at the other man. "Great." He said, turning back to the radio. "I'll eat later."**_

**"**_**You've been on that for days. Give it a rest." Slade argued.**_

**"**_**It's because I can do this." Oliver shot back.**_

_" Ollie can do it" Laurel said. Slade looked at her " he did" _

_**Slade scoffed. "Sure, kid. When pigs fly." Suddenly the lights on the radio lit up, and talking could begin to be heard. "You're kidding me." Slade tossed off the boar and ran over to Oliver. "Can you clean this up?" he asked excitedly.**_

_Everyone gasped , Laurel was laughing happily. " knew he could!" _

**"**_**I don't know. I don't know how I got this far!" Oliver said happily.**_

**'**_**Continue approach. Big jet 365.' The radio squawked.**_

_**Slade picked up the mica and ht the button. "Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is wedgetail 325. Pilot and passenger down."**_

_" can they hear you though?" dig asked. _

**'**_**Big jet 365, cleared to land. Runway 2-7 right, wind,' the radio continued. Slade frowned in confusion, so he hit the button again.**_

**"**_**I repeat-pilot and passenger down on the island of Lian Yu. Request immediate rescue."**_

_" No they can't. Of course not that'd be to easy! Dig groaned in frustration. _

**'**_**Cleared to land, runway 2-7 right. Big jet 365.' The radio continued, heedless of his calls.**_

_**Slade slammed the mic down in anger. "Damn! They can't hear us, and we can't call out." He sighed. "We're still trapped." Oliver stared at the radio, dejected and deep in thought.**_

_ Thea gripped slade's had gently. Oliver was watching them. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Oliver was sitting, dejected as Slade fiddled with the half-working radio.**_

**"**_**If they can't hear us, then what's the point?" he asked angrily.**_

_**Slade held up his hand, indicating he should be quiet. "Wait! You still might have done us some good." He told the boy as he scanned the frequencies. Finally he found what he was looking for.**_

**'**_**Final deployment is five by five.'**_

**"**_**That's Fyers!" Oliver exclaimed, jumping to his feet and running over.**_

_" Ha messing with the radio did some good!" Curtis whooped. Hiding a smile , Mia shook her head. _

**"**_**I'm tuned into the soldier's frequency." Slade told Oliver as they continued to listen.**_

**'**_**Scylla is in route. ETA 0600 hours. At the southwest bay. I'll call you when Scylla is in my possession. Fyers out.'**_

_"is all there code names from a book?" Felicity rolled her eyes. , Crossing her arms. _

_Slade nodded. " least it's the one book the kid read in college" _

_Laurel laughed. " that's true if it wasn't the odyssey, you two would have been fucked. " Oliver glared at her. _

**"**_**Who was Fyers talking to?" Oliver wondered.**_

**"**_**I don't know." Slade admitted. "Sounds like someone off this island, maybe his benefactor. More importantly, who or what is Scylla?"**_

_" In the book it was a monster?" Laurel commented again. _

_" And they named it right" Slade replied. _

**"**_**The Scylla and Charibdis." Oliver explained. "It's 'The Odyssey', from one of the four nightmare chapters. Scylla was a monster."**_

_" Ollie so smart!" Thea cooed. _

_**Slade slid his swords into their scabbards on his back. "I want to meet this monster." He said. He walked to the door and stopped, looking back at Oliver. "Am I going alone?" he asked.**_

_**Oliver considered for a moment, then grabbed his knife and followed.**_

_" And we're back in action!" Curtis said. Oliver chuckled. " Lian Yu did keep us alert at all times. " _

_**The scene changed to the island. Slade and Oliver stealthily approached Fyers camp. They took position behind some fallen trees, and Slade looked at the camp through his binoculars. What he saw caused him to take a sharp breath.**_

_Dig gasped" how did they get that! " _

**"**_**What?" Oliver asked, noting the other man's tension. "What is it?"**_

**"**_**You were right." Slade breathed. "Scylla is a monster. A Russian-made S300 anti-aircraft missile launcher." He handed the binoculars to Oliver, who looked at the device. "It can simultaneously track up to a hundred targets while engaging with at least a dozen. I mean, from here, they could shoot down a commercial airliner, or start a war."**_

_" That's bad! Right! " Felicity asked clutching her seat. Slade and Oliver looked at each other and nodded. _

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Oliver and Slade were still observing the missile launcher.**_

**"**_**One of those missiles has an effective range of up to 2,400 kilometers." Slade was telling Oliver. "We're not going anywhere until we figure out what Fyers is planning."**_

**"**_**Wild guess? He's planning on blowing something up." Oliver replied sarcastically.**_

**"**_**Well, one of those could do the job. But this?" he indicated the launcher and the camp of mercenaries, "This is about starting a war."**_

**"**_**With who?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**What does it matter? We have to stop Fyers before he kills thousands of innocent people." Slade replied.**_

_Dig, Felicity, Laurel and Thea leaned forward at that remark. Lance was looking thoughtful. Dig looked at the arrow and Sara. _

_Mia paused the memory. " dig?" she asked. _

_John diggle took a deep breath before he started speaking " I know we're half way through the first year and this was to change our out veiw on Slade, but we're missing some more members. Some from further back. If we knew this then" John trailed off. _

_Mia nodded understanding. " who do you have in mind. " she asked. _

_John handed her a list and sat down, Mia punched in the names and dates. _

_Roy Harper appreared. _

_Moira queen, Malcolm Merlyn And a Younger Sara , younger Thea Queen were the first four to apprear. " please sit down. Mia punched in another couple names and dates. _

_"Done. Now everyone Moira is from just after Thea kidnapping as is a younger Thea" Thea perked up " what is she going to be called " she asked. _

_" um speedy?" asked speedy. Thea nodded. Moira queen took hold of her daughter's hand and they moved to sit down. Roy sat with Oliver while Malcolm sat alone. _

_" now this is to show how a brother hood fell. Keep an open mind" white Canary said. _

_With that the memory resumed. _

**"**_**There are tons of soldiers down there." Oliver pointed out. "Even if we get through all of them, we can't just steal a whole missile launcher."**_

_ The original veiwers laughed. Moira frowned slightly looking over at an older version of speedy sitting next to Slade Wilson. _

_**Slade observed the camp with his glasses- and spied soldiers carrying crates marked 'Explosives'. And idea formed in his head. "Well, who said anything about stealing it?" he asked.**_

_" why steal it Oliver Remember he's better at blowing stuff up!" Felicity laughed. _

**"**_**So what's the plan? Ambush?"**_

_**Slade shook his head. "It's impossible. We can't take out all six without one radioing for back up."**_

**"**_**It'd be good if we could get all the soldiers in one place." Oliver noted.**_

_" Dig smirked " perfect plan Oliver" Slade smiled " it was his best one" Slade commented. _

_Sleepy looked over at Slade and glared hatefully. _

_**Slade paused, and then stared at Oliver in consideration. "You're right." He said.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Oliver and Slade were still observing the missile launcher.**_

_Everyone leaned forward. _

**"**_**One of those missiles has an effective range of up to 2,400 kilometers." Slade was telling Oliver. "We're not going anywhere until we figure out what Fyers is planning."**_

**"**_**Wild guess? He's planning on blowing something up." Oliver replied sarcastically.**_

_Thea laughed. " Ollie " _

**"**_**Well, one of those could do the job. But this?" he indicated the launcher and the camp of mercenaries, "This is about starting a war."**_

**"**_**With who?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**What does it matter? We have to stop Fyers before he kills thousands of innocent people." Slade replied.**_

_Moira looked up at that tone. Speedy did as well. Was Slade Wilson on mirakuru actaully different then the one before it. _

**"**_**There are tons of soldiers down there." Oliver pointed out. "Even if we get through all of them, we can't just steal a whole missile launcher."**_

_**Slade observed the camp with his glasses- and spied soldiers carrying crates marked 'Explosives'. And idea formed in his head. "Well, who said anything about stealing it?" he asked.**_

**"**_**So what's the plan? Ambush?"**_

_**Slade shook his head. "It's impossible. We can't take out all six without one radioing for back up."**_

**"**_**It'd be good if we could get all the soldiers in one place." Oliver noted.**_

_"Sound plan Oliver" dig said. " now who's gonna be the bait" smirked Lance. _

_**Slade paused, and then stared at Oliver in consideration. "You're right." He said.**_

_Thea leaned over towards Slade. " you're the bait?" _

_**Hey!" he called out, gaining the mercenary's attention. "I found an intruder while I was circling the perimeter."**_

_" Called it!" Thea squealed. " their so dead" Curtis spoke up. _

**"**_**It's Wilson." One of the merc's said. "You killed a few of my friends, you son of a bitch."**_

**"**_**And I'm going to kill a few more." Slade replied. He pulled his hands from behind his back, which both contained a Colt 1911. He opened fire with both guns simultaneously and managed to drop all six guards with single shots each. Slade looked back at a kneeling Oliver and grinned. Oliver watched in disbelief, then got up and followed him.**_

_" damn " Thea spoke up. Grinning at Slade. " I really like this you" Slade nodded, clearing his throat. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Slade was breaking open crates of explosives; he grabbed a handful of the long, thin bricks of C4 and gave them to Oliver. "Place these around the launcher." He ordered. "Do it quickly. Their backup will be arriving any second." The two started hastily setting the C4 sticks all around the launcher, and had only just started when the radio crackled to life.**_

_" Moira looked at the launcher and gasped. _

**'**_**We're 60 seconds out from the launcher.' A voice said. Slade's eyes widened in surprise.**_

**"**_**Set your final charges and we'll blow it." He yelled.**_

_**Oliver paused, and idea coming to him. He moved to the back of the launcher and found an access door. "I think I have a better idea." He told Slade as he opened the door and slid out the motherboard.**_

_ Laurel looked at what Oliver was doing and frowned. _

**"**_**What are you doing?" Slade asked in exasperation.**_

_**Oliver looked at the board, and found what he was looking for- a processor chip. He yanked it off the board and showed it to Slade. "I'm taking the circuit board. Computers won't work without them, and neither will this." He explained.**_

_**Slade looked at him in excitement. "Leverage." He realized. Slade clapped the younger man on the shoulder, and the two took off for the trees.**_

_" A way off the island!" the girls yelled. Slade and Oliver smirked. _

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. It was night, and Fyers and his men were swarming around the launcher, looking for clues as to where Slade and Oliver were.**_

_" they look totally pissed!" felicity said smiling. " that they do " Malcolm spoke up. _

_**And they weren't far. The two men observed the action from their observation post on the ridgeline.**_

**"**_**Your plan, your call." Slade told Oliver, handing him the radio.**_

_" your sweet Slade." Mia said _

_**Oliver nodded, and then activated the radio. "Fyers."**_

_**Down next to the launcher, a furious Fyers grabbed at his own radio. "Mr. Queen." He hissed. "I thought I might be hearing from you."**_

**"**_**We have the circuit board." Oliver said bluntly.**_

_" be calm Oliver" dig spoke queitly. _

**"**_**You're making a grave mistake." Fyers warned. "My men are scouring the island for you as we speak. And when they find you, they will kill you. Very slowly, I'm afraid."**_

**"**_**If your men kill us, then you'll never find the circuit board. And after that, we both know that all you'll be left with is a really ugly piece of modern art." He looked at Slade and nodded in satisfaction at his insult; Slade was amused by his bravado.**_

_**What do you propose?" Fyers said after a moment.**_

_" good thinking " Lance said. _

**"**_**A trade." Oliver said simply.**_

**"**_**I see. And what do you want in exchange?" he asked, already knowing the answer.**_

**"**_**I want a way off the island."**_

_Moira gasped frowning. " but " she started. _

_Oliver looked at his mother and sighed " he broke the deal" _


	5. The Bond

_**Chapter 5: The Bond **_

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Oliver was still negotiating with Fyers over the radio.**_

Felicity, Laurel, Thea and Moira all held their breath.

**"**_**Simple exchange." He said as Slade looked on. "You get us a way off the island, and we'll give you the circuit board so that your missile launcher isn't just furniture."**_

Everyone gasped. Oliver had Changed on the island.

Slade had a proud look on his face.

_**Fyers began to pace next to the launcher. "You've grown up quite a bit, Mr. Queen. I'll give you that." He thought for a moment. "I can get you a boat. But I need time."**_

_" Yes he has" Laurel whispered. " on that island you had too" Mia spoke. _

**"**_**You got an hour, Fyers, and then you're never—" Slade snatched the mic from his hand. "What?!" Oliver demanded.**_

_Everyone gasped. Thea and speedy laughed. " uh oh Oliver's in time out!" Oliver groaned. _

_**Slade gave him a look, and then spoke into the mic. "We understand it might take you longer than an hour to get a boat. What we mean is you need to move with some dispatch."**_

**"**_**Ah, Wilson, still in command there, eh? I thought your little pet had staged a coup d'état." Fyers said in a patronizing tone.**_

_" He was right , Lian Yu is pretty far out." Canary spoke up. Oliver nodded. " I was still learning! " red arrow nodded " that's true " she said. _

_(( Okay so sorry I'm changing future Thea to red arrow season 6 Thea to Mia and season 2 Thea to Thea okay sorry!) _

**"**_**Just get us the damn boat." Slade growled.**_

_" Slades mad!" mia smirked . Slade just snorted. " that's more his annoyed tone" Oliver spoke up everyone stared at Oliver. Felicity raised an eyebrow at him. While toy and Laurel laughed lightly. _

_**The scene changed to the Island. Fyers with a company of men and Yao Fei at his side approached a clearing. For the opposite direction came Oliver and Slade, who had his 1911's drawn, but pointed down.**_

_Curtis looked at the scene " he's actaully going to go with it." He asked. Oliver shook his head. " no " _

**"**_**Gentlemen." Fyers said casually. He had his own pistol drawn, and crossed his arms in front of himself. "Welcome. So happy we were able to reach an accord."**_

**"**_**Oh, good. Small talk." Slade said in annoyance. He turned to Fyers. "Are we going to get on with this?"**_

_Sara was watching the on screen slade with pure sadness. The White Canary leaned towards her and gently touched her shoulder. " he's alright" _

**"**_**As you wish. Straight to business." Fyers looked to Oliver. "The circuit board." He demanded. "Where is it?"**_

**"**_**Somewhere safe." Oliver said evasively. "So get us to the boat and then we'll tell you where it is."**_

**"**_**And of course you'll be honest about its location." Fyers said sarcastically.**_

_ Everyone laughed. _

**"**_**Well, I wouldn't be." Slade told the man honestly. Then he nodded at Oliver. "But this one's got some strange hang up about principles and integrity."**_

_" Uh oh , something's wrong." Felicity spoke up. _

**"**_**I always imagined as much." Fyers said. "Which is why I'd like to make a counter proposal. "Men!" he called out. Suddenly two guards came out form the back dragging a woman. She was an Asian woman, with long dark hair and her hands bound behind her. The guards dragged her roughly, and then dropped her to the ground as she screamed out in anger.**_

_Felicity gasped. " that's shado!" she yelled. Mia was gently hugging Slade. He was gripping his chair again at seeing his old love. _

_" you loved her?" Mia asked. Slade nodded " not that I told her , back then I didn't want any detractions" he replied. _

**"**_**No!" Yao Fei screamed. He made to move towards the woman, but one of the guards next to him smacked him on the temple with the butt of his rifle, sending the man to hisknees. As he struggled, several men restrained him as they put him in handcuffs.**_

_**You will deliver back to me the circuit board, or I will kill Yao Fei's daughter." Fyers said coldly, and it all fell into place for Oliver.**_

_Everyone grew tense at those words. _

**"**_**That's why he wouldn't leave." He said to himself.**_

**"**_**I can't imagine you want the death of an innocent young woman on your hands." Fryers spat. "Not with your… principles."**_

_" Can someone shoot this man already!" Lance snapped. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Slade grinned and raised one of his guns, pointing it directly at Fyers' head. "Let the girl go." He said, even as the other soldiers raised their weapons at him.**_

_"Slade saves the day" Laurel joked. Slade just rolled his eye. " was that really nessarary.?" _

_ " totally" Laurel smirks. _

**"**_**No deal?" Fyers said casually. "Very well. Kill her."**_

_"No!" Felicity cried. Along with everyone else. _

_**Several things happened at once. Slade knocked the guns away from the nearby soldiers. At the same time, the girl reached back and slapped one gun away, then leapt up and disarmed the other guard. She punched one, then the other, then locked the first into an arm bar while warping her legs around the others, sending all three to the ground. Slade opened fire then, killing some of the soldiers outright, and Yao Fei tripped one of the soldiers, and then wrapped his leg around the man's neck. With a twist, it was broken.**_

_"Wow" said the room. " she was badass!" Curtis cheered. _

_**Fyers stalked up to the girl, who had just finished off her two. He lifted the gun to shoot her in the head, but she knocked it away. She quickly disarmed him and sent him to the ground, then climbed on his chest and unleashed a flurry of shots to his face, rendering the man unconscious. Oliver kicked the soldier off of him, and then grasped a rock that was lying nearby and walloped the man in the head. Two more shots with the rock put the solider down for the count.**_

_" you saved her" Thea spoke. " she saved herself" Oliver laughed. " it was a group effort" Slade commented ending the siblings bickering. _

_**The soldiers momentarily defeated, the group gathered together. Slade smirked at the girl as she walked over to her father. "That was unexpected." He remarked. She grinned back at him, and then helped her father up, who had already freed himself of the restraints.**_

_" it's on!" Curtis whooped " just a week on Lian Yu" Oliver said. _

_**Fyers, seeing them loose and about to escape, called to his men that had been waiting in the forest. "Fire!" A line of fire from automatic rifles suddenly lanced out as more soldiers appeared. Slade picked up an assault rifle and returned fire, covering Oliver, Yao Fei, and the girl as they made their way for cover. A stray bullet lanced out and caught Yao Fei in the leg, sending him stumbling. Oliver picked him up and helped him hobble a few more yards until they were under some cover. The man collapsed to the ground.**_

_" yao fai!" the girls all gasped. " he's gonna make you leave him" dig commented. Oliver nodded. " sadly yes. If we had gotten further away we could have gotten him to safety but they were right behind us and yao couldn't walk. " Oliver explained. Dig understood yao fai , Slade were soldiers before the island. They under fire , and he was only going to slow them down. _

_**Oliver pulled on his arm, trying to get the man back up. "Come on! Come on!" he urged s the fire continued behind them.**_

_**Yao Fei pushed him away. "Get her to safety!" he told him, nodding at his daughter. At Oliver's indecision, he yelled. "Now! I'll only slow you down. Go!" he urged. Slade came to them then and grabbed the girl, even as she screamed for her father. "Just go! You've got to go!" he urged.**_

_The girls sighed softly. Sad that yao fai had to be left. _

**"**_**Go! Go! Go!" Slade urged as the three ran off into the forest.**_

_**The scene changed to the Island. Oliver was searching an old rotted out stump, and when he came up empty, he turned back to the other two with a sinking feeling. "Slade? Circuit board's gone."**_

_" They knew!" Curtis cursed. Slade sighed. " while fyers was meeting with us his men looked for it" _

_**Slade looked at him in surprise, and thenpushed past to search himself. "Damn." He said after a moment. "Fyers played he was screwing us around, his men were combing the woods for it." He stood and got into Oliver's face. "Now his missile launcher is fully operational."**_

_" Slades mad!" Laurel and Felicity laughed. Oliver laughed " yeah that actually pissed him off" the girls laughed. " I like this version of you Wilson" Lance spoke him. _

**"**_**And he was never going to let us off the island," Oliver said in disgust, pushing the older man away. "I get it!"**_

_Felicity frowned at Oliver's annoyed outburst. _

**"**_**Of course he wasn't going to help you!" The girl said- in English. "He couldn't chance you warning the mainland what he has planned!"**_

_**Oliver sighed in annoyance. "She speaks English."**_

_**Yeah, well, guess what." Slade growled at her. "Neither one of us have any idea what his plans are."**_

_**She turned away for a few seconds, trying to think. Soon, she turned back to face the two men. "I do." She said.**_

_" Least someone knows " Lance muttered. _

_Roy watched on. " are we gonna see how you got the mirakuru?" he asked. Slade nodded. _

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Slade and Shado were sparring vigorously as Oliver watched, playing with Shado's bow in his hands absently.**_

everyone winced. " good moves. " Mia said looking at Slade. " for awhile that's all the three of us did was train."

_**The match ended when Shado got Slade down onto his back. She was crouched over him, her hand raised to deliver a blow; but Slade had pulled a small blade from somewhere and tapped it against her lower back.**_

_"Ha girls rule!" Thea cheated shado on. Oliver looked at the younger version of his sister " look again Thea. " Thea finally noticed the blade. _

**"**_**You're teaching me that one." Slade said with a smile.**_

_Felicity laughed. _

**"**_**Only if you show me where the knife was." She chuckled. She rose to her feet and held out a hand, helping him up.**_

_" Yeah where was it." Curtis asked. " his boot, when she rolled him onto his back he snatched it from his boot" Oliver explained. _

**"**_**Who taught you how to fight?" Slade asked.**_

**"**_**My father wanted a son." Shado said, taking a drink of water.**_

**"**_**He got one." Slade replied.**_

_ The girls awwed at that. _

_**Shado looked over to see Oliver fiddling with her bow. "The tension of that bow's 150 pounds." She told him. "Snap it; you'll both be covered by carbon fiber shrapnel in your eyes."**_

**"**_**She's right." Slade said. "You're not strong enough, kid." He looked to Shado. "Go again?"**_

_" Yes he is" felicity said sharply. Slade smirked at her. " he wasn't then. " Red arrow leaned forward. " it was shado that taught him how to use a bow. " _

_Felicity now looked embarrassed. _

**"**_**It's pretty exciting that both of you are such bad asses, but do you think that maybe we should be making a plan to stop Fyers? And, I don't know… save your dad?" Oliver asked sarcastically.**_

_" Ollie is feeling left out!" the girls laughed. Oliver glared at them. _

**"**_**Does he always whine this much?" Shado asked Slade with a smile.**_

_"Yes!" Thea spoke up. _

**"**_**Today's one of his good days." Slade noted.**_

_Everyone ooohed at that. Slade gave a smirk at Oliver. _

**"**_**Can he fight?"**_

**"**_**I've tried. Limited success."**_

_**Oliver pursed his lips. "I'm sitting right here."**_

_**Well, I haven't tried yet." Shado said. Slade laughed as Oliver looked between the two of them.**_

_Felicity gasped. " you were mean to him. " Slade just shrugged. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Oliver was seated in front of a crate in the fuselage, watching as Shado filled a bowl up with water.**_

_Thea Raised eyebrow. " um what's she doing." _

_Oliver smiled " this built my arm muscles so I could draw back the bow. Watch. " _

**"**_**Hold your hand up." She instructed him. "Palm facing me." He did so, and she stood across from him. She nodded at the bowl. "Hit the water." She instructed.**_

_**Oliver looked at her in confusion. "What?"**_

_**She indicated the bowl. "Hit it."**_

_**He did so.**_

**"**_**Again."**_

_**He did so.**_

**"**_**Again. Harder!"**_

**"**_**If the point of this is to make me feel like an idiot, it's working." Oliver said crossly.**_

_Everyone burst out in laughs. _

_" well it was funny to watch" Slade commented. _

_**She sat down. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."**_

_**"Confucius, great." He rolled his eyes, but hit the water again. "I'm starting to see the family resemblance."**_

**"**_**Laozi, actually." She corrected. "Again."**_

_**He did so, and now the bowl was empty. "Now what?" he asked.**_

**"**_**Fill the bowl. Start again." He gave her an annoyed look**_

_Mia hid a smile behind her hands. " this is too good" _

_**The scene changed to the island. Oliver was still seated behind his bowl as Shado did a handstand in front of him. She held herself perfectly still, and her legs were folded in the lotus position. Oliver stared at her for several minutes before he spoke.**_

**"**_**My mom does yoga." He said.**_

_" Flirt!" Laurel shouted. _

_**She smirked slightly. "Hey, remember when Slade and I rescued you?" he started.**_

_**She looked at him sharply with a raised (lowered?) eyebrow. "You rescued me?" she said.**_

_Everyone laughed. " it was a group effort" Slade says again. _

_**Oliver sighed. "Fine. When we all rescued each other. You said you knew why Fyers wanted Yao Fei, and how he was forcing him to help." He reminded her. "Feel like sharing? We're almost out of slapping water." He added dryly.**_

_**Shado slowly straightened her legs, and then bent backwards, allowing her feet to lie flat on the floor. She stood gracefully and took a cleansing breath before turning back to Oliver.**_

_" I like her" Roy spoke. _

**"**_**My father was a Shangjiang in the People's Liberation Army." She started. She walked over and picked up a canteen for a drink of water. "A general. I didn't hear the details of Fyers plans, but he wants my father to be the face of it. A scapegoat. To take the blame and conceal their own involvement." She took a sip of water.**_

**"**_**Why was Yao Fei on the island in the first place?" Oliver asked softly. "Fyers says he murdered people."**_

_**She spun to face him. "No, he didn't." she said sternly. "The Chinese military committed the massacre." She explained further. "Someone had to take the blame. They chose him. Sent him to this island for life." She sighed. "I spent years looking for him." She continued. She walked over and picked up the pail of water, then refilled the bowl.**_

_ Oliver looked at Slade. Both remembering yao fai. _

_ **"A few months ago, a man came to my apartment. Said he had information about my father's whereabouts. I had given up hope." She sighed again. "Let my guard down. Didn't see the tazer until…" she trialed off. "When I woke up, I was here." Shado knelt before him. "I'm worried." She admitted. "This island… what he must have had to do to survive. That it changed him."**_

_**Oliver gave her a reassuring smile. "He saved my life. He's still a good man, Shado." He told her.**_

_"Awww" Laurel cooed. _

_**Shado smiled in return, and then indicated the bowl. "Again."**_

_**He hit the water.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Oliver was still slapping water well into the night when Slade walked in, a pair of rabbits on a string in his hand.**_

**"**_**Dinner." He announced. He looked at Oliver in amusement. "You're still doing that? Fyers better be careful with his bowls of water."**_

_Mia smirked at Slade. " you love teasing him" Slade nodded with a smile. " he was a good kid" _

_**Oliver sighed in annoyance. "When are we going to do actual training?" he asked.**_

**"**_**There once was a young boy whose father dropped him off at a shaolin monastery to study Kung Fu." Shado began.**_

_**Oliver sighed and dropped his head into his hands. "Good, a story."**_

_"Story time" Roy and Curtis whooped high fiving. _

_**After a year, the boy came to visit his family." She continued, sharpening her knife as she talked. "When they asked what he'd learned, the boy hung his head in shame. All the monks had him do was slap water in a barrel for a year."**_

**"**_**Well, we don't have a year." Slade said. "So I hope your training regimen is a bit faster."**_

_**Undeterred, Shado continued. "The family didn't believe him, so he showed them. He raised his hand and hit the table they were eating on. "It broke in half."**_

**"**_**I'm gonna be able to break a table?" Oliver asked sarcastically.**_

_" Nice" Felicity muttered. _

**"**_**Better." She said. She rose and grabbed her bow, then walked back to Oliver and handed it to him.**_

_**Oliver sighed. "Ok." He said, rising to take the bow.**_

**"**_**Draw the bow." She said. She corrected his posture, and then stepped back. Oliver sighed- then drew the bow properly with seemingly no effort.**_

_**Slade chuckled. "I'll be damned." He said.**_

_Everyone cheered happily for Oliver. " that's how you learned." Mia said in excitement. _

_**Oliver relaxed the string, and then looked back as Shado. "What's next?" he asked earnestly.**_

**"**_**We teach you to shoot." She said.**_

_" awesome!" Curtis smiled. _

_**The scene clashed back to the Island. Oliver was walking towards the fuselage, staring at the picture of Laurel. He slipped it into his pocket as he entered the plane.**_

**"**_**Rescuing your father and stopping Fyers is not going to be some walk in the park." Slade was telling Shado. "They're not going to allow us to just stroll on into their camp."**_

**"**_**Which is why we'll need cover." She noted.**_

_Everyone leaned closer. _

_**Slade gave her a look. "If both of us are infiltrating, who'll provide that?" he asked.**_

_**Shado nodded towards Oliver. "He will." She decided. Slade laughed and Oliver was just stunned.**_

**"**_**Me?" he said.**_

_" way to be confident Ollie " Laurel and Mia laughed. _

**"**_**The assault rifle is flushed. It's useless." Slade said.**_

**"**_**We have a bow, arrows." She replied.**_

**"**_**And no one capable of shooting them." He looked over to Oliver. "No offense, kid."**_

_" Slade" everyone snapped. _

**"**_**I was going to say the same thing." Oliver said.**_

Everyone blushed. Slade smirked.

_**think we should be spending our time trying to devise a plan, not lower our already slim chances of survival."**_

**"**_**He'll hit his mark by sundown." She told the mercenary. "If not, we'll do it your way." She grabbed the bow and some arrows and walked over to Oliver. Wordlessly she held out her hand. After a moment's hesitation, he took it.**_

_" sweet finally this guy is going down!" everyone cheered. _

_**The scene changed to the island, where Shado was teaching Oliver how to shoot the bow.**_

**"**_**Set your sight." She instructed. "Hit the tree."**_

_**Oliver fired, and the arrow whizzed off into the forest, lost. He sighed in frustration. "Probably hit a tree." He said sarcastically.**_

_" you should be more calm. The more frustrated you get the more you'll mess up. " Lance said. _

_Joe nodded. " it's the same with swords. " _

_Slade looked at Joe an smiled. Oliver rolled his eyes. " your father is a great swordsman Joe" he spoke. _

_**Shado handed him another arrow. "Set your sight. Hit the tree." She repeated. Oliver nocked the arrow and drew back the string. Shado placed her palm on his chest. "Steady your anchor point." She instructed. He turned to look at her, and they stared at each other for several seconds. Finally he turned away, and aimed the arrow at the tree.**_

_Oliver shook his head in embassment. " why are we watching this!" _

**"**_**I hope you're getting closer," Oliver let the string go slack as the two turned to see Slade standing there. "At teaching him how to be a better marksman." He finished with a glare. "It's not as though our lives depend on it or anything."**_

_" you're a asshole you know that" Felicity snapped. Slade just rolled his eye. _

_**Slade stalked off, and the two both took a breath. "Try again." She instructed.**_

**"**_**Ok." He agreed, pulling back the string…**_

_" you can do this" Roy encouraged. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island, where Shado was still trying to get him to shoot straight.**_

**"**_**Try again." She instructed. He did so, and missed.**_

**"**_**You're thinking too much." She decided.**_

_**Oliver smirked at her. "Nobody ever accused me of that before." He said.**_

_Everyone laughed at the twos bickering. _

_**She grinned back, taking the bow. She had two arrows stuck in the ground, and she spun around quickly taking one of the arrow, nocking it, and firing in, separating a branch from a tree. She grabbed the other arrow and knelt down, firing again, splitting the falling branch. It had taken her less than five second.**_

_" That was awesome" Curtis commented. Laurel and felicity nodded _

_**Show-off." Oliver said good-naturedly.**_

**"**_**I see my target in the distance, I feel the variation in the wind, I hear the bowstring tighten… and I let go." She explained softly. "Give in to your senses." She said as they stood closer. "Don't think."**_

_**Oliver leaned down and kissed her. She reciprocated, and they spent a few moments enjoying each other's presence. Suddenly though, Oliver pulled back, instantly ashamed of himself. Shado was ashamed and embarrassed as well.**_

_**You're right, this is definitively not the time or place—" she started.**_

_" Fantasy island" Felicity muttered. Everyone glared at her. " that island Ms. Smoak was hell " Slade growled. _

**"**_**No, it's," Oliver sighed. "No, it's just there's, uh… someone." He explained. "And it's a mile past complicated, but I can't."**_

**"**_**Does she know how much you love her?" Shado asked.**_

**"**_**I suspect right now she doesn't." he said sadly. "But as soon as I'm home, she will."**_

_"awwww" the girls cooed. _

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. A dejected Oliver and Shado walked into the fuselage. Slade sat, sharpening his sword. He looked up, but didn't look at the two.**_

**"**_**So how did our Robin Hood do?" he asked. Their silence told him everything he needed to know. "As expected?" he goaded. "So back to the drawing board we go."**_

_" Slade!" Thea and Mia snapped. Slade looked at both versions on Olivers sister and gulped. _

_**Suddenly there was a noise, and the three tensed. Their anxiety turned to surprise as Yao Fei walked stiffly into the plane.**_

_Everyone gasped in shock. _

**"**_**Yao Fei!" Oliver exclaimed loudly.**_

**"**_**Ba!" Shado ran up to her father and hugged him, but backed away when he didn't return the gesture.**_

_**Slade stood slowly. "How did you escape?" he demanded.**_

**"**_**I didn't." suddenly a dozen men armed with AK-47's rushed into the plane to their collective shock.**_

_ Everyone gasped in shock. " he OMG!" Mia gasped. _

**"**_**You son of a bitch!" Slade growled. He made to lunge at Yao Fei, but a soldier smashed the butt if his rifle against Slade's head, sending him to the ground.**_

_Mia gripped slade's arm tightly. _

**"**_**Hey!" Oliver protested, kneeling beside the fallen man.**_

_" No!" Mia yelled. Slade tried to assure her that he was fine. _

_**Yao Fei looked down at them both. "Your time on this island is at an end." He declared in resignation.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Slade, Shado and Oliver sat in the back of a truck, their hands bound, as it made its way back to the mercenary camp. They drove in right past the missile launcher, which was now fully operational. The soldiers unloaded them and walked them into the command tent, where Oliver saw a familiar face- the 'student' that had come staggering into the cave, Alan.**_

_" Showtime" Lance whispered. _

**"**_**You!" Oliver growled, lunging towards the man who was sitting at a radio. Alan smirked at him as a soldier put him back into the line.**_

**"**_**Save it." Slade told him. "We don't have the luxury of indulging in vendettas."**_

_" what's he even planning?" Laurel asked. _

**"**_**Ba!" Shado exclaimed as she saw her dad.**_

**"**_**Shado." He replied sadly.**_

_" Slades gonna be angry" Lance muttered. _

**"**_**You led Fyers right to us, you coward!" Slade spat, straining against the soldier that held him in place.**_

_Mia looked at the screen " no he's livid. " Mia spoke up. _

**"**_**Fyers was about to fire bomb the entire forest just to eliminate you." He explained harshly. "This way, you all have a chance."**_

**"**_**Well, pray I don't get the chance to repay your mercy." Slade said coldly.**_

_Mia gripped slade's arm tightly. She didn't like seeing him angry. It reminded her of when he was hyped on the mirakuru._

_**That was when Fyers walked in, looking inordinately pleased with himself. "How fitting." He said smugly. "Everyone reunited for the end."**_

**"**_**The end of what?" Oliver asked, exasperated. "What is all this for?"**_

_Everyone watched intently. Laurel and Lance watched worried , was this actaully what they dealt with only in one year. _

_**Suddenly the radio flared to life. **_**_-HKIA, this is Ferris Air flight 637 out of Berlin, nonstop to Hong Kong. We are steady on approach at 33,000 feet and winds at 15 knots. ETA, two hours, 15 minutes, over.-_**

_**Alan activated his mic. "Ferris 637, this is HKIA. Adjust course to 0.6 degrees south, 11 minutes. Over." He said as the three prisoners looked on in confusion.**_

_**-Roger, HKIA. Why the course change?-**_

_" he's going to blow up the plane" Lance gasped. _

**"**_**Nothing to worry about, 637." Alan replied. "Just looking to make sure you avoid a little turbulence."**_

_**-Roger that. Adjusting course now.-**_

_" yep" arrow said sitting back. _

_**Alan switched off the mic and looked back at Fyers. "They're altering course, sir." He told him. "The plane will be in range of Lian Yu in 26 minutes."**_

**"**_**Good. Keep tracking it." Fyers ordered.**_

**"**_**That's a commercial airliner, Fyers." Oliver said. "It's not like it can land here."**_

**"**_**It won't be landing anywhere, Mr. Queen." Fyers said coldly. "I'm going to destroy it."**_

_Slade and Oliver along with the arrow put their heads down knowing what was coming. _

_**Oliver's eyes widened, then he looked outside at the missile launcher in horror.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the island.**_

**"**_**It doesn't make any sense!" Oliver exclaimed. "Why do you want to blow up a plane?"**_

_Thea was thoughtful. " it's to start a war?" Slade nodded. _

_**Fyers stood in front of him. "When the New York Stock Exchange reopened after 9-11, the Dow Jones dropped nearly 685 points." He lectured. "Can you imagine what would happen to China, the world's second largest economy, if all air travel in and out of China were to be grounded indefinitely?"**_

_Everyone gasped at that. Laurel covered her mouth with her hand, Moira was shaking her head. Pulling Thea to her. _

**"**_**You want to destabilize China's economy?" Slade guessed.**_

**"**_**It's not what I want, but rather my employer." Fyers said simply. "We have enough missiles here to shoot down any aircraft approaching the mainland." He explained. "And that will decimate China's economy. Especially," he turned to face Yao Fei, "once a rogue element in China's own military claims responsibility." Yao Fei's eyes widened. "You see, inconvenient though you occasionally were, you're always worth more to me alive than dead."**_

_" No!" Thea snapped " that's cruelty" _

_Slade nodded. The girl should already know cruelty. She looks up at him. " you and Ollie stop him right." She asked. Oliver smiled " watch speedy" _

**"**_**Then you should have killed me." He said boldly. "Because I won't do it."**_

**"**_**Really?" Fryers asked softly. He turned back to the prisoners, then drew his gun and batted Oliver on the side of the head with the butt of the gun, then shot Slade in the thigh and Shado in the right shoulder.**_

**"**_**Ahh!" she screamed in pain as she fell back to the ground.**_

**"**_**Shado!" Yao Fei screamed in panic, running over to his wounded daughter. "Shado!"**_

_Slade growled. This caused Mia to grab his hand. " it's okay." _

**"**_**I said I need you alive, but I can kill everyone you care about." Fryers said, raising his gun at Shado once more**_

_**The scene flashed back to the island, where Fyers was moments away from shooting Shado again.**_

**"**_**Stop!" Yao Fei cried. "I'll do it." He said in resignation.**_

_Everyone looked worried. Those who didn't already know what was to happen. _

**"**_**I knew your good judgment could be counted on." Fyers said, lowering his weapon. "Come along now. We need to get you back into uniform."**_

_**Slade started squirming, trying to get back up, and the guards turned their attention on him- as did Fyers who walked over and held his gun at Slade's face, causing him to still. **_

_" Good job Slade" Mia said looking at his face. Slade smirked. " I was a soldier" _

_**But while everyone was distracted, Yao Fei quickly pulled a small throwing knife from his boot and slipped it into Oliver's hand, much to his surprise. Oliver quickly concealed the small blade in his hands as Yao Fei said something in Chinese to Shado. He helped her sit up, but was then grabbed by two guards and escorted out.**_

_" oh my God" Moira queen gasped. _

_**Fyers grabbed a satellite phone and headed out as well. He dialed a number from memory. "It's Fyers. It's happening." He said simply.**_

_**On the other end of the line, a bespectacled man walked into an office. "Understood." He said. He hung up the phone and looked at the woman behind the desk. "That was Fyers. Everything is proceeding to your plan."**_

_" who's that" Thea asked. Oliver just shook his head. _

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Fyers was setting up the camera to record Yao Fei's 'declaration'. The man in question stood stiffly in front of a grey backdrop to mask the operations behind him. On the floor, still bound sat Slade, Oliver and Shado.**_

**"**_**The uniform suits you, Yao Fei." Fyers complemented. "Any time you're ready."**_

**"**_**To the people of China and citizens of the world," Yao Fei began. "I make this statement voluntarily, taking responsibility for the shooting of Ferris Air flight 637 to protest the People's Republic of China's treatment of me; for betraying and abandoning me to the island of Lian Yu."**_

_Everyone but Oliver and Slade we're leaning towards the screen. _

_ **On the floor, Oliver was desperately cutting at the binding on his hands. "Consider this my righteous delivery of powerful vengeance."**_

_**Fyers shut off the camera. "Thank you." He said politely.**_

_**Then he pulled out his gun and shot him in the head.**_

_The girls all screamed. Thea was crying while dig tried to comfort her. Laurel was speechless and in shock. Moira repeatedly muttered queitly to herself. _

**"**_**No!" Oliver screamed.**_

**"**_**Ba! Ba!" Shado sobbed.**_

**"**_**Sir. Plane is within range." Alan announced. Fyers smirked at Oliver, who stared back in absolute rage.**_

_" oh Ollie" Laurel said queitly gripping his shoulder. _

_**The scene flashed back to the Island where thousands of feet above, a Ferris Air Line's commercial jet was flying the course it had been given by Alan- a course that would take it directly over Lian Yu.**_

**"**_**The plane's holding steady at 33,000 feet." Alan informed Fyers. "That's the range for missile intercept, sir."**_

**"**_**Lock missile one on target." Fyers said.**_

_" Please tell me their gonna get their asses kicked." Curtis asked. _

_Slade nodded with a smirk. _

_**On the ground, Slade noticed Oliver cutting through his bonds. Oliver looked at him, then over at Shado.**_

**"**_**Missile one locked on the jet's heat trail." Alan said.**_

**"**_**Prepare to launch on my mark." Fyers replied.**_

**"**_**Yes, sir."**_

_" and it's on" Mia whispered. _

_**Oliver broke free, then jumped up and ran at Allan, yelling. He knocked Fyers aside and jammed the knife into Alan's side twice, before turning and cutting Shado loose. Her loss and rage numbed the pain in her shoulder as she started beating down the guards in the tent. Slade had leapt up as well, ignoring the pain in his leg and launching himself at Fyers. Wounded and angry, Alan punched Oliver in the face and started to choke him with both hands, while Fyers easily dealt with the wounded and still-bound Slade.**_

_" Untie Slade!" everyone yelled. "Alittle busy" Oliver laughed. _

_**Fyers pulled out his radio as he ran from the tent. "Fire! Fire the missile now!" he ordered. Inside, Shado finished off the last guard and ran over to Oliver. He pulled Alan off of him, grabbing the man in a dragon choke. With a simple movement, she broke his neck. Oliver nodded at her and ran out, just in time to see the missile launcher fire.**_

_"No!" Thea cried out. _

_**The scene changed back to the island as Oliver watched the missile fly off towards the plane. He moved towards the launcher, but fell back as the soldiers opened fire. Shado was already there, knocking out one guard and climbing onto the launcher as it began to move.**_

_**Slade came out of the command bunker, an Ak-47 in his hands and began firing. He looked at Oliver. "Go kid!" he yelled, laying down covering fire as Oliver bolted for the launcher. He jumped on the back just as Shado knocked another solder down. She knelt down and opened up an access port, pulling out the motherboard. She started working, looking up to see Oliver.**_

_Everyone cheers. " yes!" Curtis laughs. _

**"**_**We need to reprogram the missile!" she said.**_

**"**_**I don't know how to reprogram a missile launcher!" he exclaimed.**_

_**Shado pulled out the circuit board. "I do." She worked frantically.**_

_**Suddenly the guard she had knocked down got back up and pulled out his pistol "Watch out!" he cried.**_

_**Shado grabbed his gun arm and yanked him forward, bouncing his face off the launcher and disarming him. She quickly aimed and fired, shooting the driver in the head. The man slumped forward, jamming the control levers forward and the launcher began to roll. The guard Shado disarmed grabbed her from behind, and the two struggled, falling off the launcher in the process.**_

_Watching the screen , Mia and Thea were both gripping Slade by each arm. Who was trying not to winnce as their nails dug in. _

**"**_**Oliver, put the chip in." she yelled as she continued to fight. Oliver rounded the launchers, but was immediately set upon by another soldier. **_

_Felicity gasped out. _

_**They fought briefly, with Oliver struggling mightily before he managed to throw the other man off. Oliver looked up and saw the missile nearing the plane, then back down at the launcher. He yank open the access panel once more and grabbed the command chip, jamming it home. **_

_" come on guys!" launce and Curtis yelled out. _

_**The small screen noted 'Target Modification Confirmed'. He looked up to see the missile radically change course, now heading for Fyer's camp. He pulled the dead driver off of the stick, stopping the launcher, and then leapt off. He took cover behind the corner of the launcher and watched as the missile slammed into the camp.**_

_" Oh shit!" everyone winced. " hey, . " Oliver looked around at everyone. _

_ **The explosion was enormous, enhanced by all of the munitions' that were now cooking off. He sat down relieved, exhausted, and fearful- what of Slade? What of Shado?**_

_" oh God!" Laurel whispered. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Night had fallen, and Oliver finally made his way into the burned out ruins of the camp. "Shado! Slade!" he called out, searching for his friends. He spotted a case lying in the middle of the road. Curious, he toed the lid off, and then kneeled down to pick up Yao Fei's recurve bow. He looked at it, felt the weight of it in his hand, then picked up an arrow and nocked it. **_

_" leat Ollie's okay. " Laurel said. " yeah but is shado & Slade." Mia spoke up. _

_**Suddenly he heard laughing, and he stood up and saw Slade, sitting with his back to some crates.**_

**"**_**Boy, I should have figured." He laughed and pulled himself to his feet. "You couldn't save the day without making a mess."**_

_" oh thank God!" Mia said grabbing bon the the ex ASIS agent and kissing him. Slade froze but gently gave her a soft kiss back before pulling away. Oliver was glaring at Slade. " she attacked me kid! " _

_Red arrow smirked " and we're married" arrow and Oliver groaned at this. _

**"**_**Where's Shado?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**I thought she was with you." Slade said.**_

**"**_**Actually, she's with me." They both looked to see Fyers moving towards them, dragging Shado with him. He held his gun to her head.**_

**"**_**Let her go!" Slade yelled. He limped forward, but fell to his knees. "It's over, Fyers!"**_

_Mia stayed close to Slade. Who was trying to not look at her. _

_**Oliver calmly lifted the bow and drew back the string. "Let her go." He said calmly.**_

**"**_**Amazing." Fyers said. "A two year operation undone because a young playboy happened to wash up on the shore, and now here you are- a killer." He chuckled. "You wanted nothing more than to leave this island, and now you can. I can call in a rescue ship, you can go home!" He yanked Shado closer. "Tell me, Mr. Queen. Are you prepared to sacrifice your freedom?" he pushed Shado forward slightly. "For her?"**_

_" don't listen to him Ollie" Laurel said. _

_**Oliver looked to Shado. She nodded imperceptibly. So he breathed, aimed-**_

_**And fired.**_

_**Fyers lurched back, releasing Shado. He gurgled slightly, then fell over, dead, with and arrow sticking out the center of his throat.**_

_Everyone cheered happily " finally!" Curtis laughed. He and Lance high fiving. _

_**Oliver tilted his head slightly, staring at his work. "Guess so." He said coldly. Slade looked at him in disbelief, but Shado looked at him and grinned slightly. She nodded, and then looked back at Fyer's corpse. Her father had been avenged.**_

_The arrow stopped the clip and breathed. " that ends the first year of Oliver on the island" he said looking at each of them. _

_" it's getting late let's all pick up year to tomorrow." Sara Lance finally spoke up again. _

_Everyone nodded. Lance lead Laurel towards Sara , who showed them towards the guest rooms. Moira and Thea were lead away by arrow along with dig , Curtis an felicity. Oliver , mia and Slade we're showed their rooms by red arrow. _


	6. Break 1

The next morning everyone woke up. Oliver slowly woke up to see Mia & Thea slowly approaching Slade , quickly he grabbed them both. " No let him wake up on his…." Oliver was cut off when Lance moved towards Slade and shook him awake roughly.

Oliver winced when Slade woke grabbing Lance in a choke hold. Moving towards Slade quickly

"Slade!" Oliver shouted. Oliver's shout seemed to jolt Slade back to the present and he released Lance. Shoving him off of him. Mia and her past counterpart Stared in shock. Oliver was already at slade's side. " Slade..it's okay we're not on the island. " Oliver whispered.

Mia was in shock. Slade had nearly killed Lance. But Lance seemed to understand. He nodded towards slade. " sorry , I didn't know." Oliver nodded. " it's okay. I didn't think he still got the nightmares. . "

" It's probably the mirakuru ollie so he's having nightmares." Thea said. Oliver just nodded.

" Thea can you please get him some water. "

Thea nodded and went to do that. She came back with a glass of water. Mia was gently stroking slade's black hair. The streaks of gray made her smile. This whole experience was good for them. She was seeing another side of Slade and she liked it. They all looked up when the white Canary , siren and The green Arrow walked in.

" is he okay?" arrow asked. Oliver nodded. " just nightmares" he spoke. Arrow nodded and offered them breakfast before they started the next year.

Oliver, Slade and the two theas entered the living room area. Mia helped Slade sit down and they ate. Lance had gotten Laurel and Moira while dig and felicity were talking to Curtis.

After breakfast. Everyone sat down to start the new year. When Roy walked in. Yawning.

" ready"

Arrow laughed. " so now you can take a break eat , talk to each other and Canary and I will get the clips ready. " with that arrow walked off.

Everyone was silent. Until Slade spoke. " why you kiss me" Slade asked Mia . Mia blushed bright red. She started to stutter and blush. " you got shot! Then the place blew up" Mia said. Slade nodded. " just happy I surrived." He chuckled.

Dig laughed " I was you two have been through hell." Oliver laughed. " the year coming up is the downfall. " he said sadly.

" but at least we're learning how he was before the mirakuru " Thea commented. Everyone nodded at that statement.

A while later , arrow returned to start the next set of clips " ready " he said hitting play.


	7. The Trust

_**The scene flashed back to the fuselage four years prior. Slade and Oliver were sparring with escrima sticks, and it was apparent immediately that Oliver had improved by leaps and bounds since the death of Fyers and the rest of the mercenaries.**_

_" whoo training! " Thea whooped. " Oh look at those muscles!" Mia said gawking at slade's form on the screen. Oliver looked at her " stop undressing Slade with your eyes please" he said. Mia blushed. _

_" well look at his cargo pants it's not hiding anything-" she started but was cut off by Slade covering her mouth. " shut up" he growled. _

_Everyone laughed at Slade . The man was embarrassed. _

_ **They fought fast and furiously for several minutes before mutually coming to a stop. A noise drew Oliver's attention, and he looked to the door to see Shado, now wearing her father's hood, walk in with a freshly caught bird in a cage. Slade took advantage and smacked him hard across the side of his head with one of the bamboo sticks, sending Oliver to his knees.**_

_" never take your eye off your enemy. Kid" Slade joked. Oliver laughed." I know" _

_**Slade laughed. "You're not the first man to learn the hard way- women are a distraction." He said as he moved off to get a drink of water. Shado came over, lowering her hood as she did so.**_

**"**_**You've come very far in a few months." She told him as he pulled himself up. "Don't beat yourself up."**_

**"**_**Ah, apparently that's his job." Oliver said with a smile.**_

_" and he loves it" the girls cooed. _

**"**_**And I love my job." Slade replied. "Not that I wouldn't trade it for a way off this island."**_

_The girls laughed._

**"**_**While you two were playing with each other, I was hunting." Shado said.**_

**"**_**Well, there's nothing more attractive than a woman who can hunt." Slade said, walking past the two towards the cage.**_

_" this is the year you get the mirakuru." Roy asked. Slade nodded. _

_**Oliver smiled at a memory. "When I was marooned here, my first meal was a pheasant." He told her. "Your father cooked it for me."**_

**"**_**He was an awful cook." Shado said.**_

**"**_**Yeah." Oliver agreed. "But a great father. I'm looking at the proof." He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.**_

_"Awwww" Laurel said queitly while Mia and Thea gagged. _

_**Across the way, Slade snapped the neck of the bird. "Let's eat." He said. Before they could even start cooking, a beeping sound caught their attention.**_

**"**_**What's that?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**That's Fyers' proximity detector." Slade said as the three ran over to the crate it was sitting on. Shado reached it first and lifted it. "We salvaged it from the wreckage of the soldier's camp." Shado said. "Picks up anything moving outside our safe zone."**_

_" That's smart" dig commented. " Very" Oliver smirked. _

_ **On the screen there was a rough map of their section of the island, along with three dots that seemed to be moving. "It's been five months since we stopped Fyers. He and all of his men were dead." She said in confusion.**_

**"**_**So maybe it's an animal." Oliver suggested.**_

**"**_**There's an imaging interface." Shado pushed a button, and a thermal image came up on the screen- unmistakably of three men, probably holding weapons.**_

**"**_**Those are not animals." Oliver noted.**_

**"**_**And we're not alone on this island." Slade added.**_

_ " great new trouble" Mia growled. Thea nodded. Slade nodded at them. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Slade, Oliver and Shado were walking through the woods, with Slade carrying the motion tracker.**_

_Mia blushed lightly. " you are gorgeous" slade chuckled at her. _

**"**_**Well, someone's definitely out there." Slade said. "They're moving closer." He looked up and noted Shado moving off. "Where do you think you're going?" he demanded.**_

_"Over protective" dig laughed. Oliver nodded. "He was like that with the both of us" _

**"**_**Flanking position." She explained. "They get the drop on you; you'll want some back-up." She smiled at Oliver and said something in Mandarin. He replied with a smile, and then watched her move off.**_

**"**_**She's teaching you Chinese. How sweet." Slade said sarcastically.**_

**"**_**I'm sure she'd be happy to teach you, too—" suddenly there was the sound of a gunshot, not very far from them. "Shado!" Oliver shouted in alarm, running off towards where she had walked off. Not far away they found her hood lying on the ground. The two looked at each other in concern, then moved off again to search.**_

_Mia gasped. " oh no " _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Night had fallen, but Slade and Oliver had finally managed to track Shado. She sat on a log, her hands bound in front of her, surrounded by thee rough looking men. Oliver made to rush them, but Slade held him back.**_

_" oh good you found her" felicity said. _

**"**_**What are you doing?" he whispered.**_

**"**_**We need to save her." Oliver whispered back angrily.**_

**"**_**Listen, kid. You are not the only one who cares for her." He admitted. "But there's a lot of them. Wait for my signal." He ordered. Oliver nodded in agreement.**_

_" that's True you need to think with your head not your heart." Dig commented. _

**"**_**Where are the graves?" one of the men demanded, holding a knife to her face. "Where are the graves?" he demanded again.**_

**"**_**I don't know what you're talking about." Shado said. The man slapped her hard across the face, causing her to grunt in pain. Oliver's eye's flared in rage.**_

**"**_**Tell me." The man demanded, yanking her up by her hair and pulling her head back, exposing her long neck.**_

_Everyone yelled out in anger. Mia had grabbed slade's hand again. _

_**Enraged, Oliver sprinted out of the bushes and tackled the man. Slade growled in anger, but followed, taking down the other two pirates as Oliver straddled the first man and rained punches down on his face. Not satisfied, he reached over and picked up a large rock.**_

**"**_**Oliver, no!" Shado cried.**_

_**He hoisted it over his head and brought it down once, twice, smashing the man's head.**_

_Oliver looked down. That was the second man he killed on Lian Yu. _

**"**_**Oliver!" Slade shouted, breaking through the young man's haze of rage. Oliver moved off the man and sat back on the ground, spent.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Oliver pulled himself to his feet, staring down at the man he had just brutally killed. Suddenly a radio went off, and Slade bent down to pick it up. He and Shado listened for several moments.**_

_" Oh Ollie" Laurel looked at him. _

**"**_**We're not alone." He said. "The question is, where did they come from?" he wondered. Out in the bay, a ship hugged the coast, its search light playing over the shore.**_

" and the trouble begins" Lance said looking around.

_**The scene flashed back to the Island. Oliver was staring at his hands, hand he had just used to bash another man's skull in. He looked past his hand to the body. He looked up at his companions, who looked back worriedly, then turned away and sat down heavily.**_

_Laurel was hugging Oliver tightly. Who returned the hug. _

**"**_**Others will come." Shado said. "They won't be happy we killed their men."**_

**"**_**All the more reason to figure out why they're here." Slade said, kneeling down to begin rifling through the men's pockets. He pulled a folded up piece of paper out of the first one's shirt and opened it up. "It's a map. Of the island chain, containing Lian Yu. This is similar to the recon shots that A.S.I.S. gave me before I came here to rescue your father." He said. "Whatever they're looking for, it must be here, on this island." He looked up at Oliver sadly. "I've seen men in war with that look in their eyes."**_

**"**_**What look?" Shado asked.**_

**"**_**The one that says he's split into someone else." He explained. "Someone he doesn't even recognize. If someone doesn't talk to him, it'll tear him up."**_

_" aww Slade" the girls watched on sadly. _

_**Shado looked at him, then back at Oliver. She walked over to him as Slade watched sadly. Shado moved in front of him and leaned over, taking his hands in hers "Come on. Let's get away from this place." She told him, giving him a reassuring smile.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Shado helped Oliver wash the blood off of his hands in the river.**_

**"**_**You saved my life." She told him.**_

_**He smiled humorlessly. "That's what I keep telling myself. That I killed that guy because he was going to kill you." He looked at her, pain in his eyes. "But what if that's not the reason? I just feel like this island is… it's turning me into something terrible."**_

_Felicity watched on sadly. The girls were was looking sad. _

_**Shado dipped her hand into the river, cupping her hand. She raised it up and let the water flow over his forehead. "No island, no place can make you something you're not." She told him.**_

**"**_**So I've always been a killer?" he asked.**_

**"**_**Everyone has a demon inside of them." She replied. "The 'dao de jing' recognizes the yin and the yang. Opposing forces inside all of us. The darkness. And the light. The killer… and the hero." She pulled him down for a gentle. Kiss. After a moment, both began to slowly undress.**_

_" don't worry ollie " Laurel spoke up. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Slade approached the river bank where Oliver and Shado, now mostly clothed again, were lounging.**_

**"**_**I don't even know how long it's been since I laughed." Oliver was saying. He watched them for a few moments, a sadness playing over his face, before he rose and moved away a small distance. He turned his back and then called out, "Hey, kid. Shado."**_

_Mia gently curled into slade's side. As she watched. Taking his hand. Slade looked at her confused but didn't move away. _

_**The two jumped up like kids being caught with their hands in the cookie jar and rapidly put on the rest of their clothes. "Yeah, just, um… We were just washing off." Oliver yelled back.**_

_Everyone laughed at that. " wow ollie caught by Slade!" Curtis joked. _

**"**_**Well, you better prepare to get dirty again." Slade said, walking down towards them. "I think I figured out where those men were headed. It's a couple of clicks northwest of here." The two looked at him, slightly ashamed. "Well, let's go." He said finally, moving off. Oliver and Shado moved behind him as he walked.**_

**"**_**Be careful." Slade advised Oliver as they walked. "Don't fall too hard."**_

**"**_**Why not?" he asked. "To make sure there isn't part of this island that doesn't totally suck?"**_

**"**_**To survive." Slade said with a grin. "She's a distraction, and in a place like this, a distraction's going to cloud your judgment. And that is what's going to get you killed." Slade looked back at Oliver. "Look at what this island has already done to you, kid."**_

_ Felicity glared at Slade angrily again. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Slade, Oliver and Shado were moving quickly through the forest, following Slade's lead. Suddenly he paused, looked down at the map- and the photo that was attached to it, then looked back up. "To those men, this location could have been on any one of 150 different islands." He said, then turned back to his friends with a smile. "But for somebody who knows this island like he knows his own name…"**_

_" that's sad! " Thea said. " that he knows that island so well " _

_**"So those men were looking for this place." Shado said, looking around. "Why?"**_

_**"That would be the question." Slade said.**_

_" what was it they were after" Roy spoke up. " the mirakuru" Canary said. _

_**"Slade." The pair turned to Oliver, who had moved a short distance off. "Over here." He pointed. Slade looked, and saw that there was a cave there, whose entrance was concealed behind thick vines. Slade put the map away and took out his K-Bar, then cautiously entered the cave. Inside he found a small area that had been converted into a rudimentary living area. On the ground, though, he saw skeletons dressed in Japanese uniforms with misshapen skulls.**_

_**Oliver knelt beside one of the bodies.**_

_**"Their skulls are misshapen." Shado noted.**_

_**"What happened to these people?" Oliver wondered aloud.**_

_" eww dead bodies" Thea gagged. _

_**Slade bent over and picked up a samurai sword. "Whatever did happen to them was over 60 years ago." He said, looking at the rusted sword. "These soldiers belong to the Japanese Imperial Army."**_

_**"They've been here since World War II." Shado said.**_

_**We're missing something here." Slade said as Oliver examined another of the bodies. Around the neck he found a stone arrowhead with markings carved into it. He pulled it off and looked at it curiously. "You don't just come here for corpses." Slade finished, looking around for more clues.**_

_" Damn right" Curtis said. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. The boys had dragged one of the skeletal bodies back to the fuselage, and they laid it down on top of a crate so that Shado could examine it.**_

**"**_**Wonderful." Slade said sarcastically. "Now we have a dead Japanese soldier in our home."**_

_The girls laughed. Slade before the mirakuru was funny when annoyed. _

**"**_**Those men on the island were looking for these corpses." Shado said as she examined the bones in better light. "Aren't you the least bit interested in why?"**_

Everyone leaned towards the screen. " yes" was said around the room but Slade and Oliver.

**"**_**I'm more interested in how many more there are of them and where they're operating from." Slade replied, gathering some gear together. "They'll be coming for that, which means they'll be coming for us. And as we've already seen, they're not the friendliest bunch."**_

_**Oliver looked at Shado as she continued to examine the body. "So… it kind of looks like you've done that before." He noted.**_

**"**_**Back in Xingjian, I was pre-med." She replied absently.**_

_" Nice. " dig commented. _

**"**_**She's a woman of many talents." Slade said, throwing a pack to Oliver. "Come on."**_

_**"'Come on' where?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**To higher ground." Slade replied. "We need to get to a vantage point where we can establish the enemy's position."**_

_Both Slade and Oliver looked at each other and groaned. The cliffs were coming. _

**"**_**What about Shado?" Oliver asked, suddenly worried.**_

**"**_**I'll be fine here." She told him with a smile.**_

**"**_**We shouldn't split up." Oliver said, conflicted.**_

**"**_**Let her play with her corpse." Slade said. "We'll be back before she knows it." Slade moved off. Oliver took one last look at Shado, then tureen to follow Slade.**_

_" Whipped big brother!" Mia smirked. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Oliver and Slade were still heading for higher ground, but Oliver was still worried about Shado.**_

**"**_**We shouldn't have left Shado." He said, voicing his well-known opinion.**_

**"**_**Well, it's her life. It's her choice." Slade replied tiredly as they continued up the hill. "You listen to my advice."**_

**"**_**What advice?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**To avoid attachment." Slade reiterated.**_

"That's a lonely life." Thea remarked. Looking at Slade.

"But it is a life." Slade replied with a sad smile.

**"**_**Yeah. That was bad advice." Oliver replied sarcastically.**_

**"**_**But it will save your life." Slade said.**_

**"**_**Maybe I don't want to live under those terms." Oliver said.**_

_The girls whooped. _

**"**_**Yeah, well, maybe you're an idiot." Slade opined.**_

**"**_**Hey, you think that carrying about people gets you killed." Oliver pointed out. "I think it's what keeps people alive."**_

_" uh oh" Mia laughed. _

_**Slade stopped, then turned and walked down to face Oliver directly. "I was wrong about you." He said. "You're definitely an idiot." He finished with a smirk.**_

**"**_**Then that's who I am." Oliver stated plainly. Slade scoffed and turned to continue climbing. "I'm not changing." He continued.**_

_"Go ollie!" Laurel laughed _

_**Slade took another step, and then slipped on some loose rocks. He let out a surprised "Ohh!" as he slipped over the edge of the very steep, very sheer cliff. Oliver dropped down immediately and grasped the older man's hands, preventing him from falling to his death. **_

_Thea and Mia grabbed onto Slade. Making sure he was there. _

_**"You should be happy I haven't avoided attachment to you." Oliver said, grunting as he strained to pull Slade back up to solid ground. Slowly but surely, he did.**_

_" Haha payback" Mia smirked at Slade. _

_**The scene flashed back to the island, where Oliver and Slade had almost reached the highest point.**_

**"**_**There are only two ways onto this island- by sea, and by air." Slade reminded Oliver.**_

**"**_**So what, you're going to steal whatever they use to get onto the island?" Oliver quipped.**_

_" Smart again" dig laughed. _

**"**_**Well, I'm tired of living here, aren't you?" Slade said as he raised his binoculars. Oliver did the same, and they began to sweep the coast of the island. Almost immediately, they spotted it- a ship.**_

_**Oh, my God." Oliver said.**_

**"**_**It appears to be two or three clicks offshore." Slade noted with some excitement.**_

_**Suddenly there were a series of explosions that startled the men.**_

**"**_**What the hell?" Oliver asked as the explosions continued.**_

_" Uh oh" felicity said. _

_**Slade lifted his glasses again and scanned the ship. Though it was too far away to see any detail, he couldn't miss the tell-tale signature smoke trails of missiles being fired from the deck of the ship. "It's firing off its location." He said.**_

_**Oliver's eyes widened in realization. "The plane!" he exclaimed.**_

**"**_**They must have found it." Slade realized.**_

**"**_**Shado!" Oliver exclaimed, and then took off running back to the camp.**_

_"Ollie!" Thea cried. _

**"**_**Kid!" Slade called out helplessly, then cursed and took off after him.**_

_" someone is attached to ollie" Mia commented trying to hide her worry. _

_**Back at the island, Oliver ran into the clearing that housed the downed plane, headless of the missiles as they rained down all around him.**_

**"**_**Oliver!" Slade called out in vain, but then a missile struck right in front of him, sending the soldier flying.**_

_Both Thea and Mia screamed " SLADE!" Slade gently pulled Mia into his chest. " I'm here" _

_"Oh man." _

_**Shado!" Oliver screamed. Just as a missile detonated behind him, sending him flying as well. Slowly he regained his senses, siting up and looking at the devastated airplane as his ears rang heavily. He looked up to see Slade, half his body on fire, before he collapsed into unconsciousness.**_

_" shit" Lance cursed. Mia was crying seeing slade's body on fire. _

_**The scene flashed back to- a prison. Oliver woke up suddenly, and then pulled himself to his feet. He moved to the barred door and looked out at the cellblock, though he could tell by the way the floor was moving that he was on a ship.**_

_**And in the bay of Lian Yu, The Amazo steamed, circling the island once more.**_

_Slade was consoling both girls. _

_**The scene changed to the ''Amazo'', where one of the pirates approached Oliver's cell.**_

**"**_**You kill two of my crew." The pirate said without preamble. "How many others are with you on the island? What are your weapon capabilities?" Oliver just stared impassively at the man, not saying a word. "Did you find the graves?" Oliver said nothing. "Two things will happen- you will tell me everything I want to know, then I will kill you." The pirate said. "Or I will torture you until you tell me everything I want to know. And then I will **_

_**Oliver stared back, then slowly rose to his feet. He walked up to the bars. "Go to hell." He said.**_

"Ollie!" Laurel gasped.

**"**_**Can't. We're already there." The pirate said. Then he fired the gun he was holding that Oliver hadn't even noticed. The bullet pierced his side and Oliver collapsed, screaming in pain.**_

_**The scene flashed back to the 'Amazo'. Oliver was groaning in pain from the bullet wound. He looked around helplessly, and then he spotted it- a small surgical dish with everything he'd need to remove the bullet and stitch himself back up. Oliver looked at in in confusion "Why'd they do this?" he asked of the man in the cell next to him, then groaned again in pain.**_

**"**_**They make all of us do this." The man replied with a heavy Russian accent. "Supposed to show prochnost." He lifted his shirt to show the scar from his own bullet wound. The man in the opposite cell did the same. "It's Russian. For strength."**_

_" Making a friend" Slade teased. _

**"**_**They-they did it to see if I'm strong?!" Oliver asked incredulously.**_

**"**_**They're doing this to see if you survive." The Russian clarified. "Living is not for the weak."**_

_**Oliver looked at the man, then reached through the bars and grabbed the tray. Then he proceeded to dig the bullet out, even as he screamed in pain.**_

everyone winced. Mia buried her head in slade's arm.

_**The scene flashed back to the 'Amazo'. Oliver lay on the floor of his cell having stitched up his wound. The Pirate came over and kneeled down, inspecting the work from outside the cage. "Sewing is not your strong suit." He said. Oliver held up the bullet, then let it drop to the floor. The pirate nodded. "Now we can talk." He said. "For two years my crew and I have been looking for grave site. Did you find the graves?" he asked. Oliver pulled himself up, but didn't answer the man. He just stared. "Were the bodies odd? The bones misshapen?" the pirate asked. Oliver said nothing, but his defiance told the pirate what he wanted to know. He stood and pulled out his radio. "This is the right island." He said into the device as he walked off.**_

_ **the 'Amazo', a pair of pirates opened Oliver's cell and dragged him out. He screamed slightly in pain. The leader looked at him with cold eyes. "Your days of screaming are just beginning." He promised cruelly. The pirates dragged him through the ship, dumping him in some sort of lab. They left, closing the door, and Oliver looked up to see a pair of black boots standing in front of him. He continued looking up following the legs to the torso, to finally the head-**_

_**Of Sara Lance.**_

_**He looked at her in confusion. "How?" he muttered as she stared back impassively.**_

_" what!" Lance and Laurel asked shocked. _

_**Oliver was dragged to Ivo's quarters, where he was thrown down on the floor. The two pirates left, and Oliver struggled to push himself up. He paused when a pair of boots appeared in front of him. He continued looking up following the legs to the torso, to finally the head-**_

_**Of Sara Lance.**_

**"**_**How are you—" he started, but was cut off by a sharp kick to his ribs. He collapsed back onto the floor as Sara stood over him, a knife in her hand.**_

**"**_**Prisoners do not speak." She said, then turned and walked out, leaving a hurt and confused Oliver behind.**_

_Everyone gasped at Sara's treatment of Oliver. _

_" let's continue" arrow asked hitting the play button. _


	8. The Lie

_**On the island, in the wreckage of the plane, Shado sat next to a severely injured Slade. She applied a salve to his wounds a he gasped in pain.**_

_Mia was back curled into slade's side. Refusing to move. _

_**"**__**Try not to move." She said as she spread the salve over the half of his face that was burnt.**_

_**"**__**It smells like puke!" he argued weakly.**_

_**"**__**It'll heal your wounds." She told him.**_

_Mia squeezed slade's hand. _

_**"**__**You have to go." Slade said. "Get out of here. Get to higher ground."**_

_**"**__**I'm not leaving you." She told him.**_

_**"**__**I will not be the reason something happens to you." Slade argued.**_

_**"**__**Then we're in agreement." Shado said. "Because I make my own choices."**_

_Mia was clinging to Slade, her face buried in this chest. Seeing Slade like that was heartbreaking. He looked so close to death. _

_Oliver patted Slade on the arm, gently squeezing it. He had only seen the aftermath when Slade & shado saved him. _

_**"**__**You are a strong woman." Slade gasped.**_

_**"**__**When I care about someone, there's nothing I won't do for them." Shado told him.**_

_**"**__**Another thing we have in common." Slade gasped. He started shivering uncontrollably.**_

_" Slade…" Mia said weakly. Slade wrapped a arm tightly around her. " I'm good I'm okay" _

_**Shado looked at him in concern. "The burns, they're lowering your body temperature. Here." Quickly she climbed under the blanket and spooned up next to him, sharing her body heat.**_

_Mia wished she could have met shado. _

_**You and me both." Oliver said wryly.**_

_" We're skipping a chunk due to this is about slade's and Oliver's friendship." Canary said. _

_**Sara finished calibrating the radio. She picked up the microphone and held it out to Oliver, who looked at it warily. "They won't respond unless they hear your voice." She told him. **_

_" i don't like this, it's too easy" Curtis commented looking at Oliver. Oliver nodded. _

_**Hesitantly Oliver took the mic. Sara moved aside and Oliver painfully dropped into the seat. "Shado. Ni néng tingdào wo ma?" Nothing. He pressed the switch on the mic again. "Slade. Can you hear me?"**_

_**On the plane, Shado grabbed the radio to respond. She spoke a word in Mandarin, and then followed that up with "Thank God you're alive."**_

_" nice code words" Lance says smiling. _

_**"**__**Yeah, I'm on the freighter—" he began, but then suddenly Sara ripped the mic from his hand, yanking the cord out of the set as she did so. Oliver looked up at her in confusion. "Sara, what are you doing?" he demanded.**_

_Everyone screamed at Sara. The girl looked down in shame. _

_Canary did as well. _

_**"**__**There's only two of them." The pirate captain said, swaggering into the room with Ivo right behind him. "They haven't moved from the location of the mortar attack."**_

_**What the hell is going on here?" Oliver demanded as Sara looked on sadly.**_

_**"**__**You just confirmed that your friends are alive." Ivo said. "Which means they're still a threat. You know, until we kill them." He added coldly.**_

_" Sara!" everyone yelled. Slade glared at the Canary. _

_**"**__**You son of a bitch!" Oliver leapt up from the chair, only to be sent staggering back from a quick left jab from the pirate. He gasped in pain as Sara watched impassively.**_

_**We have their location." The pirate said. "This one's no longer of use to us." He drew his Luger and aimed it at Oliver's head. "Let's see how good you are at removing a bullet from your head."**_

_**"**__**Wait!" Sara said suddenly. "He could still be useful." She said, looking at Ivo.**_

_Everyone gasped. " what happened to you!" Laurel demanded. The Canary sighed. " a lot" _

_**Ivo considered her for a moment. "She's right." He said after a moment. "Once we get rid of his friends, we'll need him to lead us to the graves."**_

_**The pirate scowled at Sara. "Sometimes I wonder who gives the orders here." He said snidely. "You or your little bouzin." He stalked out of the room.**_

Slade watched the scene unfold. Mia was still clinging to him.

_**Ivo smirked as he walked towards Oliver. He leaned down over the table. "You're going back to the island. Oliver." He said.**_

_**Oliver looked over at Sara, who looked on impassively. He wasn't sure if he imagined it or not, but he thought he saw a flicker of regret in her eyes.**_

_" can't wait till this guy gets it" Curtis said. _

_" He does" arrow spoke up. _

_**Oliver looked at the plane, his expression closed off. His hands were bound in front of him and he was being led by a large group of men, along with Ivo, Sara, and the Pirate captain. "You don't have to do this." He pleaded wearily.**_

_**"**__**Ivo says we do." Sara replied. "Your friends are a danger to his men."**_

_**Sara sighed. This wasn't exactly her finest hour.**_

_**"**__**Go." The captain ordered his men. "Quick and quiet."**_

_**Oliver was having none of that. "Slade! Shado! Run!" he yelled. For his effort, he got a punch in the jaw that sent him to the ground. The pirates opened up on the plane, spraying bullets into the fuselage. After a few seconds they stopped. One of the men approached the fuselage and looked inside.**_

_ Everyone gasped and cheered. Oliver still warned them even though he was surrounded by enemies. _

_**"**__**There's no one here." He called out.**_

_**"**__**They must have moved on from their position." Ivo deduced. He pulled a black device out of his pocket. On it was a digital clock that read 4:30. "Charges are placed. Here's the detonator." He handed it to the pirate. "Make sure they have no place to return to. Go." The man ran back to the plane and threw the device into the fuselage.**_

_**"**__**And you." Ivo snarled at Oliver. "Now you're going to take us to the graves." He looked to the captain. "Let's go. Get him up." The black man hauled Oliver to his feet. "Let's get clear." The group walked off into the jungle.**_

_" This guy is nuts!" Lance said. Oliver nodded. " and this was just the start." _

_**In the fuselage, Shado quickly got out of their hiding place. She found the detonator and disarmed it with only seconds to spare.**_

_" Whoo! Go girl! " Thea clapped. _

_**Did you find the detonator?" Slade said, pulling himself out.**_

_**"**__**Yes." She tossed the deactivated device down on the table. "We were lucky." She said.**_

_**"**__**I was lucky. You were good." Slade replied, sitting down on a crate.**_

_**"**__**Either way- they have Oliver." She said, gathering up her bow, quiver and hood. "I'm going after him."**_

_**"**__**Not alone." Slade said.**_

_**"**__**You can barely walk." Shado told the man.**_

_ Oliver looked at the screen in saddness. Slade didn't look good. _

_**"**__**All the more reason not to stay here." Slade countered. "Give them another chance at blowing me up." He limped out of the plane, leaving Shado to follow.**_

_**Oliver led the small party into the cave, and Ivo immediately dropped to the ground and started looking through the skeletons of the soldiers.**_

_**"**__**Where is it?" he demanded to no one as he searched the skeletons. "Come on, where is it?!" Ivo rounded on Oliver. "The Hosen, where is it?" he demanded.**_

_**"**__**What?" Oliver asked in confusion.**_

_**"**__**The arrowhead." He explained hotly. "Every report said it was with these bodies. You said you and your friends were here. Now, where is it?" Oliver said nothing. "Take him outside." He told the captain. "Make him show you where his friends are hiding."**_

_" isn't that the thing you have Thea" Moira asked. Oliver nodded. _

_**The captain dragged Oliver outside the cave and threw him a good five feet to the ground, where he landed hard. "Take us to them." The Captain demanded.**_

_**"**__**I don't know where they are!" Oliver argued.**_

_**The captain growled and withdrew his Luger, pressing it to Oliver's hand. "Tell me, or you lose your hand."**_

_ Thea glared hatefully at the screen. _

_**"**__**Let us suggest another option." Everyone looked up to see Shado and Slade standing there. Shado had her bow primed and aimed right at the captain, while Slade trained his MP5 on the others.**_

_**"**__**You hand the kid over to us, and we don't kill you all." Slade threatened. A moment later Ivo exited the cave, and Slade moved his submachine gun onto him.**_

_Oliver laughed. " Slade Wilson even barely able to stand but can still threaten someone's life" Slade looked at him with a smirk. _

_**Ivo looked at the new arrivals in frustration. "So, obviously you three took the Hosen out of this cave." He deduced. He looked to the captain. "Lift him up." He ordered. The pirate did so. "Now I know he doesn't have it, which means one of you two does. Give it to me, and we'll discuss an exchange." He offered.**_

_**"**__**We don't know what you're talking about." Shado said. "Give us Oliver, and we'll leave you alone to look for it."**_

_**One of the pirates went to make a move, only to be shot in the foot by Slade "Anybody else want to be stupid?" he asked as the pirate cried out in pain.**_

_" Go Slade!" Mia laughed. Red arrow smiled at her. _

_**"**__**Hey. Hey!" Ivo shouted. He huffed in annoyance. "Fine. Take 'em. Cut him loose." He said to the captain. The black man pulled out a knife and cut his bonds, and Oliver stood there for a moment, rubbing his wrists.**_

_**Then he belted the captain hard in the jaw, sending him to the ground. As the pirates started to react, Oliver grabbed Sara's hand and pulled her along with him as he began to run.**_

_" That was awesome ollie" Thea said. Oliver smiled._

_**What are you doing?!" she asked in confusion as they ran, Slade laying down covering fire.**_

_**"**__**We have to keep moving, they're following us!" Oliver yelled as the four castaways ran out of the thick jungle into a small clearing. As they crossed it, Shado took out the detonator and re-activated it.**_

_**"**__**Not for long." she said, tossing it on the ground as she ran. A few moments later the Captain and one of his men ran into the clearing- just as the detonator exploded, sending both men flying.**_

_ Everyone winced. Shado was badass. _

_**After what seemed like eternity, the four castaways stopped running to catch their breath.**_

_**"**__**Why did you do that?!" Sara demanded.**_

_**"**__**Because you stopped the captain from killing me." Oliver replied. He looked up at Shado. "Thank you for coming. Shado," he looked over at Slade, who was gasping for breath harder than the rest of them combined. "He doesn't look too good."**_

_ Mia looked at slade. Again looking worried. _

_**"**__**He's not." She admitted. She looked at the blonde. "Who's this?"**_

_**"**__**It's…. complicated." Oliver dodged. "That Hosen thing they're looking for is back on the plane."**_

_**"**__**No, I've got it." Shado said, puling it out from under her shirt where it had hung from her neck. "It has a Buddhist inscription on one side. It reminded me of my father."**_

_" Awww" the girls all cooed. Smiling at shado. _

_**"**__**I'm pretty sure they aren't interested in Buddhism." Slade gasped.**_

_**"**__**What's on the other side?" Oliver asked.**_

_**Shado turned it over. "30-30-147-12."**_

_**"**__**Ok, numbers, what…" Oliver wondered helplessly.**_

_**"**__**Coordinates." Shado realized. "To what?"**_

_**"**__**A Kairyu-class Japanese submarine which ran aground here during World War II." Sara revealed.**_

_" The mirakuru" Roy muttered. _

_**"**__**What do these guys want with a 70 year old sub?" Slade asked.**_

_**"**__**The sub isn't important, but what's on it-" she looked up at Oliver. "It'll save the human race."**_

_**Oliver looked at the grievously injured Slade. "Will it save him?" he asked.**_

_Everyone looked at oliver in sympathy. _

_**At the clearing, the captain was crawling away from the blast site when Ivo and another pirate walked up.**_

_**"**__**Well, you survived your own stupidity, congratulations." Ivo said sarcastically. He knelt down and yanked the captain's gun from its holster. "You know I needed you to deal with any resistance that I encountered on the island." He stood and pointed the gun at the captain's head. "I got to say, you've done a fairly lousy job of that." He fired once, killing the man. He then handed the pistol to his companion. "Congratulations. You're the new captain." He said dryly before stalking off, leaving the stunned Captain behind.**_

_" this guy's a dick!" Roy spoke. _

_**The four castaways trudged through the forest, moving towards the coordinates on the Hozen. Shado took point, Sara brought up the rear, and Oliver helped the injured Slade move down the steep incline they were on.**_

_**"**__**We need to change directions." Slade said with a groan.**_

_**"**__**We need to rest." Oliver countered.**_

_**"**__**If Ivo and any of his men survived that blast, they'll be tracking us. We keep moving." Slade said determinedly. Then he stepped over a tree branch and dropped several inches. The impact, slight as it was, hurt him tremendously. "Five minutes." He gasped reluctantly.**_

_Thea had tears in her eyes seeing Oliver worry over Slade and even though this mad had just kidnapped her. Seeing him before the mirakuru changed her views. Hopefully once she was back she could get through to her Slade. _

_**Oliver helped him sit on a rotted stump. "You watch him, please." He asked of Sara.**_

_**"**__**Of course." She said.**_

_**Oliver walked over to Shado. "Do you believe them?" she asked of him. "That this Hosen will lead us to a wrecked Japanese sub?"**_

_**"**__**Ivo seems to think so." Oliver pointed out. "I just hope whatever miracle serum they're after is actually onboard." He looked back at Slade. "For his sake."**_

_**"**__**How do you know that girl?" Shado finally asked him.**_

_" uh oh" the boys say. _

_**Oliver sighed. "Sara was on my father's boat with me."**_

_**Shado scoffed in realization. "What about the girl in the picture? Laurel?" she asked in disbelief. "The girl you told me you were in love with."**_

_**"**__**Sara is her sister." He admitted, ashamed. Shado gave him a look of disgust.**_

_**Slade staggered over, rested enough of the moment. "I feel like taking a walk." He said with forced levity, throwing an arm over Shado's shoulders to help support himself. "Anyone care to join me?"**_

_ Mia was looking sick again. " I hate seeing you like that" she spoke softly. Slade gave her a small smile. _

_**The two started walking again. Sara paused next to Oliver. "I guess a lot's happened in the last year." She noted before following.**_

_**The four continued their trek through the wilderness. As they came down a steep incline, Shado looked back at Slade with concern.**_

_**"**__**How are you holding up?" she asked, noting his labored breathing.**_

_**"**__**I could do with a better looking crutch." He joked, referring to Oliver.**_

_**They started moving again. Oliver glanced over at Slade. "You two seem like you've gotten pretty chummy." He said casually.**_

_"Oliver!" Thea snapped. Oliver blushed. _

_**"**__**We're here." Shado announced suddenly. They stopped at the top of a steep cliff. Down below was a lagoon that must have fed into the ocean- because sitting near the middle up against a rocky outcropping was an ancient Japanese submarine.**_

_**"**__**There must be a fissure in the island below the waterline for it to come that far inland." Slade stated.**_

_**Oliver shook his head. "Unbelievable." He remarked.**_

_" Here it comes" Oliver whispered. Then paled. Oh God Slade was gonna see his reaction to his 'death' oh no. _

_**The four castaways climbed down the sail into the interior of the sub. Shado and Oliver went in first. Slade made it halfway down, but his flagging strength finally failed him and he slid down the ladder and hit the deck hard. Oliver grabbed him and helped move him into the next compartment as Sara made her way down. Oliver helped Slade sit down as Shado and Sara started looking for the Mirakuru.**_

_**Shado looked at Slade in worry. "He doesn't have long." She said plaintively.**_

_**"**__**If this miracle drug is on board, then we need to find it now." Oliver said. He looked at his friend. "Slade, be back in a few minutes, ok?"**_

_" The girls were all looking at a pale Slade. Thea moved to hug him. _

_**"**__**I'll just get comfortable." Slade gasped.**_

_**"**__**Come on." Oliver urged. The three made their way into the next compartment, but found nothing. They opened the hatch to the following compartment, entering what appeared to be a rudimentary sick bay. Shado shined her light around the compartment for a moment before the beam fell on a small wooden crate on the floor.**_

_**"**__**There." She said. She dropped to the floor and opened the crate. Inside was sectioned off into several smaller compartments, and reaching in to one, she withdrew a syringe, its needle sealed with a cork, containing a greenish liquid.**_

_**"**__**Mirakuru." She announced.**_

_**"**__**Miracle." Oliver breathed.**_

_**"**__**I was never sure it was real." Sara admitted.**_

_" and it begins" Lance said. Joe looked at the scene worry for his father clear in his eyes. _

_**"**__**What happens if we give it to Slade?" Oliver asked her.**_

_**"**__**He needs a sedative in his bloodstream first." She said.**_

_**Shado jumped up and started going through the cabinets. "They might have potassium bromide or barbital." She said. She moved to the opposite cabinets and rooted around. "Ohh." She withdrew a broken glass bottle. "It's empty." She said, dejected.**_

_**"**__**What happens if we give it to him without the sedative?" Oliver asked. "Sarah!" he urged when she didn't reply immediately.**_

_" no sedative is probably why he couldn't control the drug. " Roy said. Oliver nodded. _

_**"**__**He'll die, for sure." She said sadly.**_

_**"**__**He's going to die anyway." Shado said. Suddenly there was a loud clanging sound. They all looked up in alarm. "What was that?" Shado asked.**_

_**"**__**Ivo and his men." Sara said in dread. "They're on the sub."**_

_" no" Mia whispered. _

_**Slade was still screaming, the blood was running down from his eyes like tiny rivers as Oliver separately tried to hold him still. He arched once more, gave one more scream, then a gasp,- and then was still. Sara knelt down and felt for a pulse. She shook her head.**_

_" No!" Mia cried. Oliver and Slade looked down.. _

_**"**__**No." Oliver said, pounding on Slade's chest. "Please. Please!" Shado pulled him up and away and embraced him as they both started to cry. "Please."**_

_Slade watched oliver sadly. " I'm sorry kid" _

_**A moment later, the pirates and Ivo bust through the hatch with weapons drawn. "Put down your weapons!" the new Captain screamed as Oliver and Shado looked on, defeated.**_

_' you both look like you have nothing to live for" felicity said. Oliver nodded. " at that time I think we both were ready to die" Oliver replied. _

_Felicity gasped. " that's selfish" _

_Red arrow glared hatefully at her. " they both just watched a man they cared about die!" _

_This shut felicity up. _

_**The miracle had failed. Slade was dead. And now Oliver, Shado and Sara were at the mercy of a madman as Ivo and his men burst into the compartment.**_

_**Ivo spotted Sara, standing frozen by the door. He grabbed her arm and shoved her towards Oliver and Shado. "Get over there!" He shined his light down on Slade, and knelt down. He slowly reached towards his body and felt for a pulse, but found none. He noted the bloody tears, then saw the empty syringe on the ground and picked it up. He was examining it when the new captain walked back into the compartment, the wooden crate in his hand. "Mirakuru." He said, rising to examine the box. He looked at the rows of syringes in wonder. Then turned back to his men. "Take them." He ordered.**_

_" oh God, is this!" Thea cried. Oliver nodded " the choice" _

_**A short time later the group was walking back through the forest towards the Amazo. Oliver, Shado and Sara all had their hands bound behind them, and Ivo led Sara at gunpoint personally.**_

_**"**__**Anthony, you got what you wanted. You can let them go." Sara said, trying to reason with the man. She turned back to face him. "If you ever cared about me." She pleaded.**_

_**"**__**But I do care about you, Sara." Ivo said. "Which is why I won't choose to kill you." Sara blinked as Ivo's insanity came to the front. "But he might."**_

_ Slade looked down. Mia and Thea quickly moved closer to his side. _

_**Oliver, who had stopped with the rest, looked at the doctor in confusion as he forced both Sara and Shado to their knees.**_

_ Lance looked murderous at Ivo. Laurel was covering her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. _

_**"**__**What are you talking about?" Oliver asked in dread.**_

_**"**__**Time to choose, Oliver." Ivo said with insane glee. "Who lives, and who dies. But pick quickly, because in 30 seconds, I will shoot them both." Oliver stared at the two women in horror.**_

_**You don't have to do this!" Oliver exclaimed. "You got what you came for! Just take it and go!"**_

_**Ivo pointed the gun at Shado's head. "10 Seconds."**_

Mia looked at slade and quickly jumped into his lap. Kissing him deeply. Slades arms wrapped around her waist tightly.

_**"**__**You freaking psychopath!" Oliver shouted.**_

_**He was shaking in impotent rage.**_

_**"**__**History will make that judgment." He moved the gun to Sara "Five seconds." Oliver stared at the two women, torn. "Time's up." Ivo raised the gun.**_

_ Mia didn't stop kissing slade. Her hands fou d their way into his dark hair. She smiled softly when she felt him kids her back. _

_**"**__**No, no!" Oliver ran in front of Sara, dropping to his knees in front of her.**_

_**"**__**I guess you made your choice." Ivo said coldly, then turned the gun on Shado and fired once into her head.**_

_**"**__**NO!" Oliver screamed, then collapsed to the ground. One more person he had cared about, dead.**_

_Noone spoke at all. Mia was gently stroking slade's hair after the kiss ended. Glad he wasn't forced to watch that. _

_**On the sub, Slade suddenly awakened, fully healed.**_

_**"**__**Shado…" he looked around. Suddenly, he knew she was in trouble. "Shado!"**_

_**Slade ran up the sail and back to land, running through the woods at incredible speed. He arrived at the small clearing and grabbed the first man he saw, throwing him back against a tree where he nearly folded in half. He attacked the other two men, killing them with his bare hands as Ivo fled into the forest. He stared down at the AK-47 he had taken off of one of the soldiers, then snapped it in half like it was a twig. The new captain clubbed him on the back with the butt of his rifle, but all that did was piss Slade off even more. Slade punched the man through the chest, then withdrew his hand and let the man drop to the ground, dead. Oliver and Sara looked on in surprised horror as Slade stared at his blood fist.**_

_" Oh my gosh, the mirakuru is insane!" Roy said. He never knew it was that bad. When he had it _

_**He looked down and saw Shado lying there, dead, and dropped to the ground next to her. He gently picked up her body and held her close, the blood from her head wound smearing across the side of his face. He looked to Sara and Oliver. "Why?" he asked plaintively.**_

_**"**__**I…" Oliver started.**_

_**"**__**Ivo just shot her." Sara said, cutting him off. "He didn't say why."**_

_"Sara!" everyone glared at the Canary. _

Mia hugged Slade close. Smiling when he pulled her to him. Oliver watched with a smile.

_**"**__**Whoever did this to her is going to suffer." Slade promised.**_

_**Sara and Oliver stood silently as Slade finished placing the final stone on the rock cairn that contained Shado's body.**_

_**"**__**Shado always told me that I wouldn't die here." Oliver said, looking down at the fresh grave. Next to it were the graves for Robert Queen and Yao Fei, each with a log laid on top with the name carved into it.**_

_ Everyone stayed quiet for the funaral of shado. _

_**But looking back, I realized that she never once said that about herself. I just hope she's with her father now."**_

_**Slade stood wearily. He held Shado's hood to his nose, breathing in her scent one last time. He started to walk past Oliver, but then paused. "Here, kid." He said after a long moment, holding the hood out towards Oliver.**_

_**Oliver looked down at the hood. "She'd want you to have that." He told Slade.**_

_ "He feels guilty" Thea said. " Ivo made it look like he chose. But he didn't. " _

_**"**__**You're the one she cared for." Slade said mournfully. Oliver finally tuned to look at him, then after a moment took the hood. The older man walked off into the woods.**_

_**"**__**Slade…" Oliver said, turning towards the other man and moving to go after him.**_

_**Sara grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Hey, Ollie, just give him space." She advised.**_

_**"**__**I can't keep lying to him, Sara." Oliver said tersely. "I need to tell him how Shado really died."**_

_ Oliver looked down. Reaching over Slade laid a hand on his shoulder. _

_**"**__**Ivo killed Shado." Sara said plainly. "He pulled the trigger."**_

_**"**__**Because I chose to save you." Oliver shot back. "He needs to know the truth." He started to move off again.**_

_**Wait, Ollie, he-" Sara grabbed his arm again.**_

_**Oliver jerked it free. "Get off me." He growled.**_

_**"**__**He has the Mirakuru in his system now." Sara reminded him.**_

_**"**__**What does that have to do with anything?" Oliver demanded.**_

_" calm down ollie " Laurel said but knew why he was upset. _

_**"**__**Look, the Japanese, they experimented on hundreds of men working to develop Mirakuru. And I read the research. The people who died? They were the lucky ones. The ones who survived, they were deformed. Either their bones or their minds." Sara explained worriedly as Oliver looked back at her, suddenly unsure. "They became someone else."**_

_" still lying to him was wrong" Lance said. Everyone but felicity agreed. Sara nodded. _

_**Slade, Oliver and Sara made their way through the forest, towards and uncertain location. Oliver caught up to Slade and looked at him worriedly.**_

_**"**__**Hey." He said, looking at his silent friend. "You ok?" Slade remained silent. "Where you going?" he asked.**_

_**Slade finally stopped and turned back to Oliver. "To the plane, to get geared up." He said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.**_

_" Its already making him rage?" Lance added. _

_**"**__**For what?" Oliver asked.**_

_**"**__**Ivo is still out there." Slade said. "I'm going to find him, and when I do, I'm going to cut pieces off him."**_

_**"**__**You can't." Sara said, finally catching up. She was carrying the crate of Mirakuru. "Ivo has a ship full of men; of killers. And I don't care what you did before, you can't take them all out." She reminded him. "Your only play here is to find safe ground and wait him out."**_

_" Yes, it worked fast. And changed a good man even faster." Arrow said sadly. _

_**Well, of course you would say that." Slade seethed, stalking towards the woman. "You were working for him. You're probably still working for him!" Sara backed up, terrified.**_

_**"**__**Hey, hey!" Oliver yelled, placing a hand on his chest and trying to hold him in place. "She's not." He assured him.**_

_**"**__**Get out of my way, kid." Slade growled.**_

_**"**__**Look, let's just take it easy—"**_

_**"**__**I said," Slade slapped his hand away and grabbed him by the throat. He lifted him in the air with one hand easily. "Get out of my way." Oliver gasped for air as his vision began to dim….**_

_" Ollie!" Thea cried out. Slade looked down in shame. _

_**Slade was still holding Oliver up, choking the life out of him.**_

_**In a blind panic, Sara dropped the crate of Mirakuru and picked up the first thing she could find- a large, thick tree branch- and swung as hard as she could, hitting the soldier in the chest. The impact did little to hurt Slade, but it did seem to knock him out of the red haze of anger he was in. He promptly dropped Oliver, who gulped down large breaths of air as Sara stood over him, holding the branch defensively. Slade looked around, finally coming out of his daze.**_

_" yep that's damn fast. " Roy remarks. _

_**I'm sorry." He said, looking around frantically. He staggered back into a tree, and slid down it until he was sitting on the ground. He stared at his hand- the same hand that had punched through a pirate's chest, the same hand that had almost killed his friend.**_

_**Sara relaxed somewhat. "You're not well, Slade." She told him gently.**_

_**"**__**Hey," Oliver rasped, getting his attention. "It's the Mirakuru. It's messing with your head."**_

_Everyone smiled seeing Oliver try to reassure his friend. _

_**Sara looked around. "It's going to be dark soon." She said. "We should make camp." Oliver nodded absently, still staring uncertainly at Slade.**_

_**Sara and Oliver were laying on the cold ground, trying to get some sleep when suddenly their radio crackled to life.**_

_**'**__**Sara. Sara, I know you're listening.' Their heads shot up at the sound of Anthony Ivo's voice. 'Answer me.'**_

_ Curtis groaned. Joe rolled his eyes. _

_**Oliver grabbed the radio. Sara reached out for it, but Oliver silently shook his head.**_

_**'**__**This is very simple, Sara.' Ivo continued. 'I know you and your new friends have the Mirakuru. You know I will lay waste to this entire island to get it.'**_

_**"**__**Get Slade." Oliver told Sara, who jumped up at once to go grab their sentry.**_

_" why would she trust him still" Curtis asked. " Stockholm " was every one's reply. _

_**'**__**But it doesn't have to be that way. All I want is the serum. In exchange, I'll promise you and your friends safe passage off this island, I promise. Within 10 days, you and your new friends could be making port in Shanghai. The alternative is I send my men into the jungle to take the serum from you. They'll be under orders not to kill any of you. Instead, you'll remain alive enough for me to indulge my scientific curiosity. Think about it, Sara.' The radio clicked off, and Oliver tossed it to the ground. He dropped his head into his hands and contemplated what the doctor had said.**_

_**He's gone." Oliver looked up at Sara as she ran back to the camp**_

_**"**__**What?" he said in surprise.**_

_**"**__**Slade's gone and he took the Mirakuru with him." She said worriedly as Oliver looked back, helpless.**_

_" He went after Ivo alone!" Lance said. Oliver nodded. " he wasn't thinking clearly. The angrier he got the more the mirakuru changed him." Oliver explained. _

_" ready for the next " Canary asked. _

_Everyone nodded and she started the next set of clips. _


	9. The broken Trust

_**The scene flashed back to the island. Oliver and Sara had made their way back to the plane, looking for Slade.**_

_Mia released Slade with a blush. But stayed close to his side. Oliver smirked at them_

**"**_**Slade? Slade!" Oliver yelled, doing a quick search of the wrecked plane. He sighed in disappointment when he realized it was empty. "Thought maybe he'd come back here." He told Sara.**_

**"**_**He has the Mirakuru serum in his bloodstream." She reminded him. "He's not thinking clearly." Oliver stopped and looked down. On the deck lay the skeleton of the Japanese soldier they had carried back for Shado to look over. "So what do we do now?"**_

**"**_**I don't know, Sara." Oliver said, annoyed. He looked around and saw the motion tracker. He picked it up and saw that it was still working. "The sensor grid is still active. So at least we're going to know if Ivo and his men come back to the island." He told her.**_

_" She judged him before ever actually knowing him." Roy pointed out. Joe nodded. " that probably helped feul the mirakuru." Joe spoke for the first time. While Sara wrapped her arms around herself. _

**"**_**So we just sit here and wait?" Sara asked.**_

**"**_**Well, do you have any other ideas? 'Cause right now, I'm open to suggestions." He shot back.**_

**"**_**We find Slade, and…" she swallowed. "Maybe we consider Ivo's offer."**_

_"Sara!" Laurel snapped angrily. _

_**Oliver glared at her. "What?"**_

_**Look, if we get the serum back from Slade, then we can go home." Sara said, trying to reason with him. "And I can try to talk to Ivo. I can get him to listen to me."**_

_" Yep definitely Stockholm " Curtis snorted. _

_**Oliver stood and moved right into Sara's face. "Like he listened before he shot Shado in the head?" he spat.**_

**"**_**He's just tired, and he's frustrated." She said defensively. Oliver scoffed. "You don't understand what finding the Mirakuru serum has meant to him."**_

**"**_**You're right, Sara, I don't understand." He said. "And I don't get how you can even consider trusting him after what he did!"**_

_" like murder a girl in cold blood!" felicity snapped. _

**"**_**He's not evil." She protested. "He kept me safe on that ship for over a year. And I mean, not just safe, he taught me things. And I learned a lot." She added softly.**_

_**learned a lot, too." Oliver said quietly, staring hard at his former lover. "This island taught me that you can't trust anyone."**_

_Slade gave him a proud smile_

_**Sara lay on the deck of the plane, wrapped in a blanket, staring at the small fire she and Oliver had built as Oliver lay in his makeshift hammock near the door.**_

**"**_**You know what I really miss about being home?" she asked rhetorically. "My bed."**_

_**Oliver chuckled. "I don't know if I even remember what a bed feels like anymore."**_

**"**_**And you probably never will." Sara said morosely. "And neither will I."**_

_" conversation time" Laurel laughed. _

**"**_**Sara…" Oliver rose from the hammock and moved to the fire. "You don't have to do that. We're going to find a way off the island." He told her. "Ok? You just-you just have to trust me."**_

**"**_**Last time I trusted you was right before the 'Gambit' went down." Sara reminded him.**_

_**Oliver winced. "I haven't gotten a chance to say this," he said. "I'm sorry. I know this is my fault. And none of this would have happened if I hadn't invited you on the boat with me."**_

_" No it wasn't I chose to come" Sara whispered. _

_**That's not exactly true. I mean I was the one who said yes." Sara conceded. "And it was only half because of your charm."**_

**"**_**And the other half?" he asked.**_

_**Sara grinned in memory. "Do you remember when you spilled that beer on me at Tommy's party?"**_

**"**_**No." he replied honestly. "But I never left one of Tommy's parties with my memory intact."**_

_Everyone laughed. Oliver blushed , covering his face. _

**"**_**Well, I wasn't even supposed to go." Sara began. "But I snuck out of the house because I knew you were going to be there. And I had this-" she laughed lightly. "I had this embarrassing crush on you. And Laurel, she knew it." She frowned. "And that's why the party got broken up by the cops. She tipped off our dad. Then I was grounded for a month, and the next thing I knew," she sighed. "You and Laurel were together."**_

_**You think she did all that on purpose?" Oliver asked, not believing .**_

_" No I didn't" Laurel said. _

**"**_**Not everybody's what they seem." Sara reminded him. They sat in silence for a few moments. "We should get some sleep." She finally said, laying back down.**_

_"Sara!" everyone glared at her. _

_**A few hours later, after the fire had been reduces to smoldering ash, Oliver lay asleep. A pair of boots walked over to him silently; a hand bent down and grabbed the radio. Sara made her way out of the plane, pausing only once to look back at Oliver.**_

_" really!" Laurel spat out staring at her sister in disbelief. _

_**Sara walked into the forest before activating the radio. "Anthony? Are you there?" she asked. There was a few moments of static before Ivo replied.**_

_****I'm here, Sara. I was hoping that you would reach out to me.** he said. **Are you alone? ****_

**"**_**Yes." She replied. She heard a sigh.**_

_****Are you all right? You're not hurt, are you? ****_

**"**_**Do you even care? You were going to shoot me." She stated.**_

_**On the freighter, Ivo sat back on the table. "No. No, Sara. I swear, you were never in danger, I swear." He told her.**_

" liar!" Mia yelled.

**"**_**So it's ok because you were just planning on murdering Shado?" she asked.**_

_**Ivo was silent for a moment. "Her name was Shado." He asked.**_

**"**_**Yes. And you killed her, Anthony." Sara said.**_

**"**_**And I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life." Ivo replied.**_

_**He looked around the radio room wearily. "I never set out to hurt anyone." He said. "I started this quest to save people; to save the human race."**_

**"**_**I know." Sara replied.**_

_Everyone listened carefully_

**"**_**Sara. I know you think that this ship rescued you when you were stranded at sea." Ivo began. "The truth is… you rescued me. But now the darkness, it's threatening me again."**_

_**On the island, Sara looked out into the forest, torn. ** I need you, Sara. Please. Save me. ****_

_**Sara, are you still there? ****_

_" think she figured it out." Roy whispered. _

**"**_**When you first found me, I felt like you were my savior." Sara said. "And letting me into your work, I felt like I was a part of something bigger."**_

**"**_**You are, Sara." Ivo assured her.**_

**"**_**It was only because I didn't want to see what you were really doing." Sara said, her voice firming up with her resolve. "I mean, what you did to those people on the boat, and how you tortured them for science… how I was glad that I wasn't one of them." She paused, taking a breath. "But now I'd rather be dead than keep being a part of this." She told him.**_

**"**_**You ungrateful bitch." Ivo said after a moment, the mask finally coming off for good. "You think you know what torture is? You have no idea. But I will show you." He promised her. "I am going to hunt you down. Both of you, and I will show—"**_

_" yep" Canary said. _

_**Sara turned off the radio. She stood there for a moment, allowing the silence to soothe her. Then she turned around-**_

_**To see Oliver standing behind her.**_

_**At once she knew. She knew he had known she would go for the radio to try and reason with Ivo. And he knew that Ivo would more than likely reveal his true self to her. Oliver slowly walked up to her, and she handed him back the radio. "Let's go find Slade." She said.**_

_**Oliver and Sara were slowly making their way through the forest, using the motion tracker to find Slade.**_

**"**_**If I'm reading this right, then Slade is back at the cave." Oliver said, looking at the display as he walked.**_

_Oliver and Slade smirked. " the rocket launcher" Lance paled. _

**"**_**Well, why would he go back to where the graves are?" Sara wondered.**_

**"**_**We'll find out when we find him." Oliver said tiredly.**_

**"**_**And when we do, you can't tell him." Sara reminded him.**_

**"**_**Tell him what?"**_

**"**_**Don't talk to me like I'm other people." Sara said, reaching out and stopping Oliver. "You've got that look on your face. The same one that you had after the first time we kissed. Pure guilt." She told him.**_

_" surrivors guilt" Thea said. Slade nodded. _

**"**_**Because I am guilty, Sara." Oliver said. "Ivo killed Shado because of me."**_

_**But that's not true." Sara protested. "And even if it was, nothing good comes from telling Slade that you think you're responsible for the death of the woman he loved. Love's the most powerful emotion. And that makes it the most dangerous." She reasoned.**_

_**Oliver looked at her, annoyed because he knew she was telling the truth and that it was a bad idea to tell Slade. Then the tracker beeped twice and died. Oliver shook it, then slapped it on the side a few times, but got nothing.**_

_" Don't damage it" Roy laughed. _

**"**_**Great." He sighed in aggravation.**_

**"**_**You still know how to get to the cave?" Sara asked.**_

**"**_**Yeah. It's this way." He said, leading her onwards.**_

_**Oliver and Sara walked into the cave, still populated with the skeletons of dead Japanese Imperial soldiers. That was all that was populating it, however, and Oliver sighed in frustration.**_

**"**_**He's not here." He growled.**_

**"**_**Where else could he be?" Sara wondered. "We already checked the plane."**_

**"**_**I don't know." Oliver looked around helplessly, but then something caught his attention. There were drawings on the cave wall, and they looked somewhat familiar to him. "Do you remember seeing these before?" Oliver asked her.**_

_Slade looked down. " damn I lost it" _

_**Sara glanced at the drawings. "I didn't really look around." She said.**_

**"**_**They look familiar." Oliver said, continuing to stare.**_

**"**_**This could be Lian Yu." Sara guessed.**_

**"**_**No, I mean the calculations. I've seen those before." Olive said, wracking his brains.**_

**"**_**Maybe the first time you were in the cave." Sara guessed.**_

**"**_**I don't think so." He said. Suddenly it clicked. "Fyer's launcher."**_

**"**_**What?"**_

**"**_**Oh, there were soldiers on the island last year, and they had a missile launcher." Oliver said off-handedly.**_

_"Slade!" everyone laughed. Mia clung to him. _

**"**_**I saw one of these on the display. They're firing calculations…" then it fully dawned on him what he was seeing. "He's going to blow it up."**_

**"**_**Blow what up?"**_

**"**_**The freighter." Oliver said, bolting out of the cave. Sara followed right behind him.**_

_**Oliver and Sara ran through the forest towards the wreckage of Fyers camp. They had almost made it when they reached a small clearing.**_

_" should have let him?" Roy said. Oliver nodded " yeah I should have" _

**"**_**Slade?" Oliver called out, looking around.**_

_**But it was Sara who spotted him first. "Oliver!"**_

_**Just ahead of them was Slade, who was busily reprograming the missile launcher. "Slade!"**_

**"**_**Get back!" he ordered.**_

_" Yep the rage is getting to him again. " Lance says. _

**"**_**We know you're targeting the boat." Oliver said.**_

**"**_**I'm going to send that son of a bitch to the bottom of the ocean."**_

**"**_**You're going to destroy our only way off of the island!" Oliver argued.**_

**"**_**As long as Ivo is dead, it's worth it." Slade said manically.**_

**"**_**I can't let you do it." Oliver said softly.**_

_**Slade heard, though, and pulled his gun. He held it on Oliver with a crazy gleam in his eyes. "Get back, or so help me, I will put you down!"**_

_Everyone gasped. Slade again looked down in shame. _

_**said get back!" Slade said, jumping down from the launcher and forcing Oliver to his knees. He didn't resist.**_

_Oliver watched , his face blank. _

**"**_**Think about Shado." Oliver said softly.**_

**"**_**I am thinking about her!" Slade roared.**_

_Thea was crying. _

**"**_**There's something I have to tell you about Shado." Oliver said as Sara looked on, horrified. "It's something you deserve to know. She loved you, Slade." He continued, to Sara's relief and Slade's anguish. "Maybe not the way that you wanted her to, but she loved you. And she wanted you to make it home. She wanted you to see Joe again. She wanted you to hug your son." He said as Slade started to sob. Oliver slowly rose to his feet. "I know you're angry. And I know you want revenge. If you destroy Ivo's freighter, Shado will have died for nothing." **_

_Joe wiped the tears that were falling from his eyes. The arrow squeezed his shoulder lightly. Joe looked at arrow and nodded. _

_**Slade finally backed off, collapsing against the launcher. He moved the gun from his left hand to his right before setting it down on the base of the launcher. "What is happening to me?" he asked shakily, looking at his trembling hand.**_

_**Oliver took the gun and held it loosely at his side. "I don't know." He admitted. "I am not going to let you go through it on your own." He vowed.**_

_Everyone smiled at oliver. " someone certainly grew up" Moira queen commented proudly. Oliver ducked his head in embassment. _

**"**_**The man who killed Shado is still out there." Slade said, trembling with emotion. "And whether that freighter's on the bottom of the ocean or not, we're still stuck on this island."**_

**"**_**Not for long." Oliver said. "Because we're going to take the freighter." He declared.**_

_" that doesn't work out does it" Curtis asked. " no" Oliver says. _

_**Slade, Sara and Oliver were on a high cliff overlooking the bay. Sara had out her microbinoculars and was looking at the 'Amazo', far in the distance. She sighed. "We're never going to make it." She told them, lowering the glasses. "Ivo has eight guards on deck at all times, all armed. The second they see us, we're dead."**_

**"**_**Assuming we can deal with Ivo's defenses." Slade said. "How are we going to get close enough to board the ship?"**_

"Have Slade swim over and go to town." Dig suggested. Oliver Smacked him lightly. Dig smirked trying to lean away. " he's not a Navy seal" Thea giggled.

**"**_**Maybe we build a raft." Oliver suggested.**_

**"**_**It'll take us weeks to find the timber." Sara argued. "We don't have weeks."**_

**"**_**I've been on this island for 264 days. All I have is weeks." Slade shot back.**_

_**Oliver frowned, hearing something. "Shut up." He said.**_

_**Sara glared at Oliver, misunderstanding him. "You don't have to stick up for me, Ollie."**_

_**Oliver looked at her in confusion. "What?" He shook his head. "No, both of you shut up. Listen. Do you hear that?" they were silent, and then all three could hear it- the unmistakable sound of an aircraft engine. **_

_" oooh burn!" Thea laughs. Slade smiled. "Another plane!" dig laughed. _

_**They looked up to see a small Piper aircraft flying low over the island. At once all three were up and running underneath the low-flying playing, waving their arms and yelling, hoping to draw the pilots attention. Suddenly, a white streak headed straight for the plane, and a moment later the missile fired from the 'Amazo' blew the wing off the aircraft. The plane plummeted to the ground as the three ran away from the suddenly falling debris.**_

_**The three ran towards the smoldering wreckage of the Piper. Slade reached it first, and ripped the door off. He glanced at the pilot, who appeared to be dead, and then spied the radio. He grabbed the mic and clicked it, frowning when nothing happened. He pulled the radio itself out and noted in disgust that it was busted.**_

**"**_**Of course." He growled in frustration, throwing it to the ground.**_

_" Poor Slade just can't win! " Laurel laughed. _

**"Ollie probably could have fixed it if Slade hadn't just trashed it." Thea noted sourly.**

_**Sara moved in closer. She touched the pilot gently on the shoulder, and suddenly the man gasped, his eyes shooting open.**_

**"**_**He's barely alive." Sara said. She looked back at Oliver. "Do you have medical supplies at the fuselage?"**_

_**Oliver scoffed. "We have-we have some." He started.**_

_" aww" the girls sighed softly. _

**"**_**Just go." Sara told them. "I'll be fine." Slade and Oliver took off for the fuselage as Sara moved to tend to the pilot.**_

_**Sara had managed to pull the pilot from the plane and was trying to make him comfortable, hoping the boys would get back in time with the medical supplies. The man started groping at his jacket, trying to get into his pocket.**_

**"**_**My wallet." He groaned.**_

**"**_**Ok." Sara said, reaching over and pulling it out for him. She handed it to her and pulled out a picture. "She's my daughter." He gasped. "She's 12. I need to talk to her…"**_

**"**_**Your radio's broken." Sara said sadly.**_

_" Wait that's Sin!" Roy said. _

_**The man groaned and gasped in pain. "Her mother died. Just after she got out of diapers. Cancer." He explained. "And without me…" he cried, thinking about her, "She's not going to have anybody to look after her. So… I know I don't know you. And I know you don't know me. But-" he put the picture into her hand. "Please make sure my daughter's ok." He begged. "Please."**_

**"**_**Got it." She looked up to see Slade and Oliver running around the plane.**_

**"**_**It's too late." Sara said sadly "He's gone." Slade threw up his hands in disgust. "We're all going to die here." Sara lamented. "Just like him."**_

_**Oliver, kneeling by the pilot's body, shined his light into the plane. "No, we're not." He said suddenly, reaching into the fuselage. He withdrew something and tossed it to Slade. "I think I found our way on to the freighter." He said.**_

_**Slade looked at the package with hope. "Parachute." He said.**_

_" yes!" everyone cheered. _

_**Oliver ran.**_

_**Through the forest, along the coast. Up hills and down through valleys, he ran and fired arrows at random targets carved into trees along the way. The more times he ran his course, the closer his arrow came to hitting the center of the targets.**_

Thea smiled at Ollie training

_**As he finished his latest run through the course, Slade pulled the arrow out of the tree where it had hit the bulls eye. "Shado would be proud." He said.**_

_**Oliver huffed, catching his breath. "Thank you. But those trees don't move, or shoot back. Ivo's men on the freighter will."**_

**"**_**Then shoot first." Slade advised.**_

_" good advice" dig said. Oliver nodded laughing " he taught me well" he said as Slade looked over at him. _

_**The two made their way back to the fuselage. Slade pulled out his map to go over the logistics with Oliver one more time. "Ivo's freighter is located here." He said, pointing to a spot on the bay. "He keeps eight men on deck. Three on the starboard, three on the port and two up in the bridge. But our bigger concern are these GP 25 grenade launchers that they're walking around with at all times."**_

**"**_**Do they have night vision?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**Not according to blondie." Slade jerked his head at Sara, who stood over at their makeshift table prepping some special 'medicine'.**_

_" someone doesn't like Sara" Thea remarks. Canary laughed " oh no it took a long time for us to actually get to know each other" _

_Slade laughed. " really" _

_Canary smirked. " well I was Thea's maid of honor at your wedding" when she said this Slade nearly choked. _

_Oliver looked at the red arrow. She smiled softly . Showing her wedding band. Arrow groaned. " can we continue" _

_**Oliver joined her at the table. "That smells awful." He noted.**_

**"**_**It'll taste even worse." Sara replied.**_

**"**_**But it'll work?"**_

**"**_**I spent a year with Anthony Ivo. I know how he thinks. It'll work." She assured him.**_

_**Oliver nodded, then took eh by the arm and led her out of the wrecked plane. "Hey, what about the Mirakuru?" he asked once they were outside.**_

_" Sneakily scheming" Roy laughed. ,_

**"**_**Well, what about it?" she asked.**_

**"**_**Well, look, I mean, it can cure, I don't know, maybe anything." Oliver started. "Maybe… maybe it's a miracle drug." He dropped his voice. "But it's also something else. Something that people like Ivo should never be allowed to control." He stated firmly.**_

**"**_**What about Slade? He might not let us." Sara pointed out.**_

**"**_**Might not let you do what?" they turned to see Slade leaning against the doorframe. "You think we should destroy the Mirakuru?" he guessed.**_

**"**_**This thing doesn't go our way… we can't let Ivo have it." Oliver told him.**_

_**Slade considered that for a moment. "You're right." He said finally. "We should burn it."**_

_" You don't burn it" dig asked_

_ Slade sadly nodded. " by then the mirakuru had it's hooks in. " _

_**Later that night Sara and Oliver stood in front of a small fire. In the center of the fire was the wooden crate of Mirakuru.**_

**"**_**Anthony devoted his entire life to finding this." Sara said a bit melancholy. "Nobody even thought it was real. It was his dream." She shook her head.**_

**"**_**Did he ever say why?" Oliver asked, curious.**_

**"**_**He wanted to save the world." She sighed.**_

_" yeah cause he's insane" Roy remarked. _

_**We need to talk about tomorrow. About what to do with Anthony once we take the freighter."**_

**"**_**What do you mean?" Oliver asked.**_

**"**_**Because Slade wants to kill him." Sara said.**_

**"**_**I'm not going to let that happen." Oliver said at once**_

_**No, Slade wants to kill him for Shado." Sara pressed on, trying to explain. "Oliver, you don't know him like do. Look, if he's given the chance, then he's going to turn this around. He's going to make Slade think that it's your fault that she's dead. That you chose to save me instead of her." Oliver sighed in exasperation. "You can't give him that chance." She told him.**_

_"Is she seriously wanting you to further cover up her lie" Thea demanded. Oliver nodded. _

**"**_**Sara I can't." Oliver started.**_

**"**_**You've killed before." She argued.**_

**"**_**That's not what you are talking about." Oliver shot back. "You are talking about executing somebody in cold blood."**_

**"**_**Look, Slade has the Mirakuru in him. He's unstable." She reminded him. "If he loses control; if he snaps again, then we're both dead. You have to kill Ivo." She pleaded.**_

_" Maybe if you stopped treating him like the damn enemy and actaully told him what Ivo did. He wouldn't have snapped. " Mia seethed. Sara looked down. _

_**Later that night, the two made their way back to the fuselage to continue prepping. As Oliver stocked his quiver, the sound of metal on glass caught his attention. He looked up to see Slade standing in the door tapping the edge of a half-filled bottle of Reuther Rum with his knife. "Who's thirsty?" he asked with a grin.**_

**"**_**Where'd you get that?" Oliver asked in wonder.**_

**"**_**Who cares? Let's drink it." Sara said happily. She grabbed three tin cups, then handed the other two to the men.**_

**"**_**Ahh, this is one of the few precious pieces of cargo to survive the crash." Slade said, pouring some rum into each of the cups. "Billy Wintergreen and I were planning on saving it for a rainy day but considering, God willing, this is our last night on the island…"**_

_**Sara raised her cup. "To taking the freighter." She toasted.**_

**"**_**To getting off this island forever." Oliver added.**_

**"**_**To Shado." Slade finished. The three drank happily.**_

**"**_**Mmm." Sara said appreciatively.**_

_Mia curled up against Slade kissing his cheek. Red arrow smiled at them_

_**You know, if something happens to me tomorrow…" Oliver started, but Slade cut him off.**_

**"**_**You can't think like that." The soldier told him, walking past the two to get into his sleeping bag.**_

_**Oliver looked at Sara. "If I don't make it I need you to…" he swallowed hard. "To tell my mom and my sister that I wasn't that same, stupid kid that got on that boat. Tell them I was different."**_

**"**_**Ok." Sara said after a moment. "And if I don't make it," she said to Oliver, "Tell my family that I died on 'The Gambit'."**_

_**"Why?" Oliver asked in confusion.**_

**"**_**Let them remember me the way that I was." She replied simply.**_

_" Sara" Laurel says brokenly. Lance was near tears. _

_**Slade exhaled loudly from his bunk. "We should all get some sleep." He told them.**_

_**That night, Oliver dreamed. He was in a field. Across from him, Shado stood.**_

**"**_**I've missed you." She said.**_

**"**_**Shado?" Oliver said in shock. "How are you still alive?"**_

**"**_**I'm not alive. Remember?" she said. "I'm dead. Because you chose Sara over me." Suddenly Shado had a long, curved blade in her hand and began stabbing Oliver, who stood there, frozen. "Why didn't you choose me? Why didn't you choose me? Why didn't you choose me?**_

_**Oliver gasped as she shot awake the next morning, still feeling the lingering panic from his nightmare.**_

_" nightmare" everyone winced. _

**"**_**Rise and shine, kid." Slade said. "It's time."**_

_**Oliver walked over to a small wooden crate. Opening it, he found Yao Fei's hood- Shado's hood. Reverently he took it out, feeling the fabric between his fingers. After a moment, he put it on, fastening the straps around his waist, then pulling the hood up over his head. He looked at his companions, and Sara smiled and nodded at him. Slade looked as well, and then moved over to his own crate. He opened it and withdrew his blue and gold mask.**_

_**Soon the three were hiking across the island. Oliver looked over at the bay, staring at the form of the freighter. On board the ship, the prisoners were doing the only thing they could do to pass the time- rolling dice.**_

_"Showtime!" Roy and Curtis whooped. _

**"**_**Glaza zmei!" Anatoly chuckled. "Better luck next time, Hendrik." He said, handing the dice back to the man in the next cell.**_

_**Hendrik took the die with a snarl. "You cheat! He cheats!" he shouted.**_

**"**_**So do you." A man said from the third connecting cell. He was a wiry man with sandy blonde hair, glasses, and a crucifix around his neck, and he sat on the floor reading a bible. "He just cheats better."**_

**"**_**Get up, preacher boy." Hendrik snarled. "I said get up, coward!" Preacher said nothing, merely picked up a rat and petted it. Hendrik spat in his face.**_

_**The men all started screaming and hollering, banging their tin cups against the bars of their cells. They all fell client as the new captain made his way down into the cell block. Soon they were all rhythmically clapping their cups against the bars as the Captain walked up to Anatoly's cell. "Ivo wants to see you." He growled in a low, menacing voice as he opened the cell.**_

**"**_**Have faith, my friend." The preacher said. "God will protect you."**_

_**his lab, Ivo was talking on his satellite phone. "How is she?" he asked.**_

_" Wife?" Oliver nodded . _

_**A man on the phone replied in a somber tone. 'I'm sorry, Anthony. I wish I had better news to give you, but her condition is progressing quicker than we anticipated.'**_

**"**_**Have you tried upping her dosage?" Ivo asked, looking through the file on the Mirakuru.**_

**'**_**Twice already, but we both know modern medicine has its limitations.' The man reminded the good doctor.**_

**"**_**Oh, yes, I know quite well." Ivo said in frustration. "Thank you, Doctor." He hung up the phone just as Anatoly was led in. He paled when the men threw him into a modified dentist's chair and began strapping him down.**_

**"**_**No. No, wait." He said desperately. "Wait, Mr. Ivo. My family is Bratva. Russian mafia." He explained. "They pay millions for me."**_

_Lance looked at the screen then Oliver. _

**"**_**I'm sorry, I have very little use for money." Ivo said, turning on the overhead light. He picked up a menacing looking tool and held it up for Anatoly to see. "I do, however, require an eye for my research."**_

_**On a cliff overlooking the bay, Oliver took up his position. He pulled out his micro binoculars, confirming the position of the freighter, then calmly withdrew a tar-covered arrow and lit it. He calmly took aim at the explosive pyre he had pre-built on the shore below, drew back the string, and fired-**_

_**And, it missed.**_

_Everyone burst into laughter. Oliver hid his head. " seriously not funny anymore" he pouted _

_**Oliver stared at the still-intact pyre incredulously.**_

**"**_**Well, we don't have all day." Slade noted dryly as he and Sara looked on.**_

**"**_**There's a breeze." Oliver argued lamely.**_

_Thea laughed covering her mouth with her hand. _

_**He withdrew another arrow, lit it, and fired. This time he looked on in satisfaction as the pyre exploded.**_

_**And just in time, as on the freighter Ivo was about to dig out Anatoly's eye. He dropped the instrument and raced to his window, looking at the shore and seeing the tall gout of flame. "They're on the beach." He said. He turned to the Captain, who stood their holding Anatoly's head still. "Take them. Alive." He ordered.**_

**"**_**What about him?" the Captain asked. Ivo indifferently waved him off, and Anatoly collapsed in the chair in relief.**_

_" This guy I want Dead" Roy says. _

_**From the cliff, Sara watched an approaching launch through her binoculars. "They're coming." She said. "Two men, armed."**_

_Everyone watched closely. _

**"**_**You know, when we first tried to get off this island, it was as strangers." Slade said to Oliver. "But now it's as brothers."**_

_**Oliver turned to Slade and nodded. "See you on the freighter." He told his friend, before moving off towards the coast.**_

_"Awww that's Soo sweet!" Laurel, felicity, Thea and Mia all coo at Slade & Oliver. _

_**He withdrew another arrow, lit it, and fired. This time he looked on in satisfaction as the pyre exploded.**_

_" Now that's how you shoot!" Roy laughed. _

_**And just in time, as on the freighter Ivo was about to dig out Anatoly's eye. He dropped the instrument and raced to his window, looking at the shore and seeing the tall gout of flame. "They're on the beach." He said. He turned to the Captain, who stood their holding Anatoly's head still. "Take them. Alive." He ordered.**_

**"**_**What about him?" the Captain asked. Ivo indifferently waved him off, and Anatoly collapsed in the chair in relief.**_

" now it's Showtime" Slade smirked. Oliver nodded. They were getting closer to the end.

_**A few minutes later, the two pirates landed on the beach. They moved towards the pyre cautiously, stopping as they saw Oliver standing there, his hood up, his bow in his hand.**_

**"**_**There." The captain told his companion. The two raced towards Oliver, who turned and ran off. He didn't make it very far before he tripped over a tree root and crashed into the ground. As he started to pull himself up, a punch form the captain knocked the fight out of him. "You're lucky Ivo wants you alive." The Captain snarled as he and his companion pulled Oliver up and dragged him back to the launch.**_

_**A short time later, Oliver was dropped back into his original cell on the Amazo.**_

**"**_**I told you I'd come back." Oliver told Anatoly weakly from the floor.**_

**"**_**Fantastic. We're saved." Anatoly said dryly.**_

_Everyone laughed. _

_**As night fell, Oliver stayed motionless in his cell. A squeaking noise caused him to look up, and he saw a rat crawling over his chest. Gingerly he picked it up by the tail and set it back down on the deck, where it scampered over to the Preacher's cell.**_

**"**_**He likes you." The preacher said. "Don't worry, he won't bite. Reverend Thomas Flynn." He said in greeting.**_

**"**_**Oliver Queen." Oliver replied.**_

**"**_**This is Abraham." He said, gesturing to the rat. "I remember you from before. You escaped."**_

_" Ivo is barbaric" Thea spoke _

**"**_**With that blonde whore." Hendrik added maliciously as he did one-armed pull-ups in his cell.**_

**"**_**That's Hendrik." Flynn said. "He's a charmer."**_

**"**_**Yeah, I hope she rots in hell." Hendrik snarled.**_

_**Hey, Sara was a prisoner, just like all of us." Oliver shot back hotly.**_

**"**_**Right. Funny, I never heard her scream." Hendrik replied.**_

_**Oliver tuned the man out. "How long have you been here, Thomas?" he asked the Preacher.**_

**"**_**A little over a year." Flynn replied. "I was working as a missionary in Maliku, just off the coast of India. This ship docked there for supplies, Dr. Ivo asked me to come aboard to administer last rites for a dying man." He chuckled wryly. "My mistake."**_

_" that way he can't get kidnapping charges. " dig added. Oliver nodded. " they came willingly. " _

**"**_**I'm sorry." Oliver said.**_

**"**_**Don't be." Flynn replied. "Can you imagine a better place for a man in my line of work?"**_

_**Oliver looked up as his cell was opened. The prisoners all started their rhythmic clanging as Oliver was led out of his cell. "Hey," Anatoly called to him. "Prochnost."**_

_**Soon Oliver was strapped into the chair Anatoly had been mere hours before. Ivo sighed happily. "Mr. Queen. Welcome back." He said, clapping his hands together once. "My men are still searching the beach for your friend and Sara. They have the Mirakuru. So," he leaned down over the chair, looking right into his eyes. "Where are they?" he demanded.**_

_" Yep dudes crazy" Curtis says. _

_**Go to hell." Oliver replied in a whisper.**_

**"**_**Maybe you'd like to rethink that." Ivo said. He picked up one of his tools and used it to cut open Oliver's shirt on his arm.**_

**"**_**Ivo… you torture me all you want to. I am never going to tell you where they are." Oliver said defiantly.**_

**"**_**No." Ivo agreed, lifting a syringe filled with a milky-white fluid. "Not willingly."**_

**"**_**What is that?" Oliver asked in a panic as he thrashed in the chair. The Captain grabbed him from behind in a chokehold to hold him still.**_

**"**_**Oh, this? See, this is sodium pentothal." Ivo said conversationally. "It's more colloquial, yet very descriptive name, is truth serum."**_

_" what" everyone gasped. Oliver and Slade looked at each other. _

**"**_**No, wait, wait!" Oliver stammered in panic as Ivo injected him. "No, no, I'll tell you everything!" his face began to relax as the drugs started to take hold.**_

**"**_**Let's begin." Ivo said.**_

_**Go to hell." Oliver replied in a whisper.**_

**"**_**Maybe you'd like to rethink that." Ivo said. He picked up one of his tools and used it to cut open Oliver's shirt on his arm.**_

**"**_**Ivo… you torture me all you want to. I am never going to tell you where they are." Oliver said defiantly.**_

_" you tell him Ollie!" Laurel laughed. _

**"**_**No." Ivo agreed, lifting a syringe filled with a milky-white fluid. "Not willingly."**_

**"**_**What is that?" Oliver asked in a panic as he thrashed in the chair. The Captain grabbed him from behind in a chokehold to hold him still.**_

**"**_**Oh, this? See, this is sodium pentothal." Ivo said conversationally. "It's more colloquial, yet very descriptive name, is truth serum."**_

**"**_**No, wait, wait!" Oliver stammered in panic as Ivo injected him. "No, no, I'll tell you everything!" his face began to relax as the drugs started to take hold.**_

**"**_**Let's begin." Ivo said.**_

_" Evil vindictive asshole!" Mia snarled._

_**Oliver." Ivo said, shining a pen light into his eyes. "Oliver, what's your name?"**_

**"Great. From one fun event to another." Lance said. "Jeeze, as much as I don't like Queen, I don't want to see him loose an eye."**

**"**_**Oliver Jonas Queen." He replied dully.**_

_" wow" Thea gasped. _

**"**_**Oliver, where were you born?" Ivo asked, shutting off the light.**_

**"**_**Starling City." Oliver replied with a smile.**_

**"**_**Why did you build a bonfire on the beach?" Ivo demanded.**_

_**So you'd see it." He said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.**_

_" And he fell for it" dig smirked. _

**"**_**I told you." The Captain snarled.**_

**"**_**Was the bonfire a trap?" Ivo asked.**_

**"**_**Not a trap. It was a…" he searched for the right word. "A distraction."**_

**"**_**How was the bonfire a distraction?" Ivo asked. "Where are Sara and Slade right now? Where are they?!" he demanded.**_

**"**_**They're on the freighter."**_

_**Ivo paled. "Where on the freighter?"**_

_**Oliver struggled not to answer, but he did anyway. "They're in the engine room because we have a raft." He lied.**_

_Everyone gasped that he was able to lie. _

_**Sound the alarm." Ivo ordered the captain. "I want every man on this freighter down in that engine room. Search the entire floor. Go!" The captain took off.**_

**"**_**Oliver Jonas Queen." Oliver mumbled as the alarms started going off. As most of the pirates made their way down to the engine room, a small contingent led Oliver back towards his cell.**_

**YESTERDAY**

**'**_**It'll taste even worse.' Sara told him.**_

**'**_**But it'll work?' Oliver asked.**_

**'**_**I spent a year with Anthony Ivo. I know how he thinks. It'll work.' She assured him as she finished making the paste.**_

**'**_**What is it, exactly?' he asked.**_

**'**_**Cocculus indicus.' Sara said. 'It's a natural source of picrotoxin, which will counteract effects of barbiturates—'**_

**'**_**like sodium pentothal.' Oliver finished.**_

_**Oliver immediately dropped the act, and then proceeded to drop the two guards. He grabbed one guard's keys and took off for the cell block.**_

_This caused everyone to laugh and cheer. They fooled Ivo again._

_**On the cliff, Sara was observing as the pirates moved into the ship.**_

**"**_**They're clearing the decks." She shouted over the wind. "The top of the ship's emptying."**_

**"**_**Are you ready?" Slade grunted, letting the parachute out and allowing the wind to fill the sail.**_

**"**_**You really don't want an honest answer to that." Sara said. On her back was Oliver's bow and quiver they had recovered earlier. "But you've done this before, right?"**_

_Slade smirked. " sure…" _

_**Slade ran at Sara and grabbed her around the waist with one arm, then threw them both off the cliff. "Nobody's done this before!" he shouted as they went airborne. They sailed through the air, crossing the bay and making an impossibly soft landing on the deck of the ship. As Slade shrugged off the parachute, Oliver made his way onto the deck.**_

_Oliver laughed. Seeing the old Slade. _

_**Here, I think these belong to you." Sara said, handing him his weapons.**_

**"**_**We're on a clock, and she needs to free the prisoners." Slade said.**_

**"**_**Ivo sent his men to the engine room just like we planned." Oliver replied.**_

**"**_**More convenient for me to take them out." Slade noted, pulling on his mask. "Go find Ivo. He can't get off this ship. But don't kill him." He aid sharply." Son of a bitch is mine." He said, pulling his gun.**_

_" Your plans are awesome" Curtis said._

_**Alarms were blaring all over the Amazo as Sara ran around, unlocking every cell she could.**_

**"**_**Why are you doing this?" Anatoly asked as she unlocked his cell.**_

**"**_**I'm with Oliver now." She replied.**_

**"**_**Why should I believe you?"**_

**"**_**Because you don't want to die! Go!" She yelled. Taking her for her word, Anatoly ran off. Sara moved to Flynn's cell and unlocked it, letting the preacher out, then moved to Hendrik's cell. As soon as the door was unlocked, Hendrik burst out, grasping her by her throat and slamming her to the ground.**_

**"**_**You helped that maniac torture us." He snarled as he choked the life out of her.**_

_**No!" she gasped, terrified.**_

_Laurel screamed in shock. _

_**Down in the engine room, Slade was going all out in massacring the pirates. He tossed them around like rag dolls, shrugging off their best hits like they were nothing. A few of the pirates, seeing the hellish figure of the man in the mask tried to run, but Slade didn't allow them to escape.**_

_**In the cell block, Sara was almost unconscious when Flynn came up behind Hendrik and clocked him on the head with a pipe. Sara gasped, sucking in large volumes of air as he pushed the man off of her. "Follow me." She coughed, leading the preacher out of the cell block towards freedom.**__** All around them the prisoners were running wild, taking out their anger on the guards. Some guards opened fire, but were quickly overrun by the numerous prisoners.**_

**"**_**Where's Ivo?!" One man shouted, looking for the source of their pain.**_

**"**_**He's heading to the bridge!"**_

_Everyone smiled " here we go. " Oliver and Slade looked down. This is where everything fell apart. _

_**Oliver, hearing that, made his way up. When he reached the top deck, he saw Ivo pacing in the wheelhouse, and made a run for it. He was stopped by one guard whom he quickly dispatched, yanking a grenade off the man's vest before dropping him to the deck.**_

_**In the wheelhouse, Ivo was nervously pacing as the phone rang. "Answer the phone." He muttered. Finally, a woman's voice answered.**_

**"**_**Hello?"**_

**"**_**Jessica, it's me." Ivo said.**_

**"**_**Who?" she asked.**_

**"**_**It's Anthony."**_

**"**_**Anthony." The woman said as an explosion ripped through the deck outside the window. "I was married to a boy named Anthony."**_

**"**_**I know, sweetheart." Ivo said sadly.**_

**"**_**But he went away." She said absently.**_

**"**_**I went to find a cure. And I found one, sweetheart. I found it, and soon, we're going to be—" he paused as he heard footsteps outside the door.**_

**"**_**He was a doctor, but he went away." Jessica noted absently.**_

_**Ivo smiled sadly, and then was thrown to the ground as Oliver's grenade blew the door off the wheelhouse. Ivo groaned as he tried to pull himself up. He glared at Oliver as he raced in, his bow raised and ready to fire. "It's harder than it looks, isn't it?" Ivo asked. "Killing an unarmed man."**_

**"**_**It seemed pretty easy when you murdered Shado." Oliver snarled.**_

**"**_**I didn't murder her, Oliver." Ivo protested.**_

**"**_**Ivo, you shot her in the head!" he shouted.**_

Oliver was glaring at the screen.

**"**_**I gave you a choice! You chose Sara." Ivo shouted back. "You blame me, but that's because you can't face your own guilt! I loaded the bullets, yes, I pulled the trigger." He smirked at Oliver. "But you- you aimed the gun. And you hold yourself responsible. Don't you?" he asked.**_

**"**_**Yes." Oliver admitted. "But that doesn't mean I won't kill you."**_

**"**_**The question is," Ivo said, looking past Oliver. "What will he do?"**_

_**Oliver slowly lowered his bow and turned to see Slade standing there, still in his mask. As he walked into the wheelhouse, he pulled it off.**_

**"**_**Is it true?" he asked, heartbroken. "Tell me."**_

**"**_**Slade, I tried to tell you- "Oliver started.**_

**"**_**Tell him, Oliver." Ivo interrupted, pulling himself back to his feet. "I was angry, like you are right now. And I wasn't thinking clearly."**_

_Mia held Slade close to her_

**"**_**Shut up!" Oliver snarled at the doctor.**_

**"**_**I acted rashly; I told him to choose between Shado and Sara."**_

**"**_**Don't listen to him." Oliver pleaded. "He's a monster, he will say anything. You know that he will!"**_

**"**_**Tell him I'm lying, Oliver." Ivo taunted. "Say it."**_

**"**_**I can explain…" Oliver started weakly.**_

_**You've known…" Enraged, Slade drew his sword and swung it at Oliver. Oliver ducked as Ivo bolted out of the room. He moved over to the wheel, trying to escape, but Slade swung again. Oliver moved back, dragging the wheel and causing the ship to make a hard turn to port. Everything not bolted down crashed to the decks except Slade, who kept his feet. Reaching down, Slade grabbed Oliver with one hand by the neck and lifted him over his head, slamming him into the ceiling.**_

**"**_**Slade…" Oliver gasped. "Please…Ivo…."**_

**"**_**He's dead." Slade snarled. "As dead as you are!" suddenly the ship ran aground, the crash jolting both men and sending them crashing to the ground.**_

_Everyone gasped in shock. " that's how he twisted it. " Thea whispered. _

_**Out on the deck, the surviving Pirates poured out of the holds and started opening fire on the prisoners who were also pouring out in a desperate big to escape. Some prisoners who had grabbed weapons exchanged fire. Huddled near the edge of the ship farthest from shore, Flynn tried to look out with a piece of broken glass to count the pirates as Anatoly and Sara huddled close next to him.**_

**"**_**How many?" Anatoly asked. A random shot shattered the mirror before Flynn could get an accurate count. An armed prisoner was shot dead near them, dropping his AK-47 to the deck. All three looked at the gun.**_

_" sweet prisoners are free" dig said._

**"**_**This one time, you can pray for me." Anatoly said, diving for the gun. He opened fire, taking out serval pirates. But he clip ran out just as another approached, and Anatoly looked on helplessly as the man drew a pistol to shoot him-**_

_**Then suddenly there was an arrow in the man's leg, and Oliver was there. "Behind you!" Anatoly shouted, and Oliver spun and fired another arrow into another pirates shoulder. A third threw a knife at him, and Oliver ducked and rolled forward, firing and killing the man as he came up.**_

**"**_**Ollie! Are you ok?" Sara shouted as he ducked down next to them. "Where's Slade?"**_

**"**_**He knows!" Oliver replied. It was all he needed to say. All around them, the pirates were regaining control.**_

**"**_**We've got to get off this ship!" she cried.**_

_**No!" he shouted, unwilling to give up his chance to go home.**_

**"**_**Ollie, it's over! It's over!" she cried. "We've got to go! We can still swim back to the island."**_

_Everyone looked down in saddness for Oliver and Slade._

**"**_**She's right!" Anatoly said. "We must hurry!" Oliver nodded, and then donned the hood as the small group dashed for the edge of the boat. One by one they jumped overboard, but as Oliver made the leap, Slade came out of nowhere and grabbed him by the leg. Oliver slammed against the side of the ship, and then Slade hauled him up, swinging him like a bat and sending him crashing to the deck.**_

_**It was over. The revolt had been put down. As the surviving pirates put the prisoners back in their cells, Slade tossed Oliver into a cell of his own. He closed the door and glared at his friend.**_

**"**_**Stop. Don't move." Slade turned to see the Captain, flanked by four of his men, all holding weapons on him. "Get in the cell." He ordered.**_

_**do not take orders from you." Slade said calmly.**_

**"**_**I am this ship's Captain." The man spat.**_

_**Slade calmly walked towards him, pausing only a moment when the Captain shot him. Undeterred, he reached out and grasped the man's head between his hands, and SQUEEZED. The Captain's head squashed like a grape, and Slade let the body drop to the deck. "Not anymore." He said contemptuously. He glared around the cell block. "This is my ship now. Any objections?" he asked rhetorically. As one, the pirates all quietly disarmed and stepped away from their guns.**_

_" The mirakuru in full control now" Roy whispered softly. _

_**The escapees gratefully hugged the sand as they finally made landfall. "We made it!" Anatoly said happily. He looked around. "Where's Oliver?" he asked suddenly. Sara looked around, a feeling of dread falling over her.**_

_**On the Amazo, Oliver still lay in his cell when Slade opened the door. Slade stared down at his former friend in silence for a moment before he spoke. "I need you to see something." He said. He moved out, and a guard came in and dragged him out, tossing him to the deck in the center of the cell block as two more guards led out Anthony Ivo.**_

**"**_**Ok. Wait." Ivo started. "You need me. Ok, you have the Mirakuru in you." He bargained.**_

**"**_**Not just in me." Slade pulled out several syringes filled with green fluid- the Mirakuru. He looked down at Oliver. "You burned a box full of dirt." He told him as Oliver looked on, dejected.**_

_" poor ollie . It's killing him seeing you like that" Thea whispered brokenly. Slade nodded. _

**"**_**I can help you understand how it works." Ivo continued to bargain. "I've spent my entire life studying it, all right?"**_

**"**_**It was you." Slade said, interrupting him. "You were the one who killed Shado."**_

_**Ivo paled. "No. No, he chose." Ivo said, pointing at Oliver. "It was him."**_

**"**_**Give him your gun." Slade ordered a guard. The man instantly held out his pistol. "Take it." Slade ordered Ivo, who reluctantly took the gun. "And show me… how you killed Shado. Show me!" he roared.**_

_**Hesitantly, Ivo pointed the gun at Oliver, who rose unsteadily to his feet. "Slade," he said weakly. "This isn't you. It's the Mirakuru. And you're sick!" he said.**_

**"**_**I don't care." Slade said.**_

_ Thea moved to sit next to Slade , who was trying not to watch his decent into madness. _

**"**_**I was trying to protect Sara." Oliver admitted. "But I didn't want Shado to die. I cared for her, too. You know that I did!" he cried.**_

**"**_**I don't care." Slade said, turning to face Oliver.**_

**"**_**You said we were brothers." Oliver reminded him. "You said that."**_

**"**_**Is that how you did it? Is that how you pointed the gun at her?" Slade asked Ivo.**_

_**Yes." He replied weakly.**_

_**Growling, Slade spun and brought his sword down, severing Ivo's hand from his arm. Ivo screamed in agony as he fell to his knees, clutching the stump of his arm as it bled. "Get him out of here." Slade ordered the guards, who picked up Ivo and dragged him out.**_

_**Why don't you just kill me?" Oliver asked wearily.**_

_Dig stayed silent. Now he understood why Oliver could never kill Slade. _

**"**_**To kill you now would be a mercy." Slade replied. "You cannot die until you have suffered the same way that I have suffered. Till you have known complete despair. And you will. I promise."**_

_Noone spoke. The two girls curled close to Slade while Moira comforted a grieving Oliver. _

No One saw arrow press play for the next clip.


	10. The fall of a brotherhood

_Final blow out bonus chapter! _

_**Oliver was forced to stand in the middle of the cell block, only being held up due to the chains wrapped around his outstretched arms, as one of the pirates hit him repeatedly in the face. At Slade's order, the man backed off. Slade stared at Oliver for several seconds, before looking at the man behind him.**_

_**"**__**Go ahead." He ordered.**_

_ Everyone gasped. Thea was crying already. Mia was curled up into slade's side. _

_**"**__**Slade, please- Aah!" he cried out weakly as the man behind him went to work on his shoulder with the tattoo needle.**_

_**Slade moved to another man as Oliver continued to cry out. "Why aren't we moving yet?" he demanded.**_

_**"**__**We managed to repair the hull." The man reported. "But the engine is too damaged."**_

_" I can't watch this!" Thea cried out. Slade easily moved so she didn't have to watch_

_**"**__**So fix it." He said simply.**_

_**"**__**I can't." the man said. Enraged, Slade's hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. "I don't know how!" he croaked.**_

_**"**__**Then find somebody who does." Slade snarled, throwing the man back.**_

_ " slade's gone" Roy said sadly. Noone spoke. _

_**The Amazo survivors, led by Sara, made their way back to the fuselage. "Yeah, this is much better than the freighter." Hendrik said sourly.**_

_**"**__**You prefer boat, Hendrik, feel free to swim back." Anatoly shot back, taking a drink form a canteen.**_

_**"**__**Sara said Oliver survived here for over a year." Flynn pointed out. "We can do the same."**_

_**"**__**Unless Ivo and his men come find us." Hendrik said darkly.**_

_**"**__**We don't know what happened on the boat." Flynn said. "Who's alive and who's dead."**_

_**Sara was looking at an arrow that Oliver had left behind, tears pooling in her eyes, when the radio sounded.**_

_****Sara, are you there?****_

_**Sara ran over and grabbed the radio. "Slade! Is Oliver—"**_

_****He's in pain, yes. But he's still breathing-for now.****_

_Everyone winced at that. _

_**"**__**Slade, listen, you won, ok? You have the 'Amazo'. Just let Oliver go, and then you can leave us here!" she said quickly, trying to reason with him.**_

_****Well, here's my problem, Sara. I can't leave.****_

_**"**__**Why not?" she asked.**_

_****During our assault, the ship's engine was damaged. She won't sail. During the attack, unfortunately I decapitated the engineer.** Slade revealed. **So what can we do about our problem, Sara? You want Oliver back, and I need someone qualified to fix this boat. For Oliver's sake, I sure hope a Mr. Hendrik is there with you.** Sara turned to star at Hendrik, who looked back at her uncertainly.**_

_**Sara, did you hear me?** Slade asked over the radio.**_

_**"**__**I heard you. Hendrik's not here." She lied. Hendrik sighed in relief.**_

_**Slade grinned. "There's someone I'd like you to say hello to." He held out the mic towards Oliver.**_

_**"**__**Don't give him anything, Sara." Oliver said weakly.**_

_**"**__**Ollie!" Sara exclaimed.**_

_ Thea winced. Slade muttered queitly into her ear. _

_****One last chance.** Slade said. **Oliver for Hendrik.****_

_**"**__**I told you! Look, Hendrik, he didn't make it to the island, he drowned." Sara lied.**_

_****To think it was only a year ago, you were a little college girl, fretting about boys.** Slade growled.**_

_**"**__**What's your point?" Sara asked.**_

_**"**__**You're not a good liar." Slade replied. He kept the mic open, and nodded. Another man picked up his instrument- a moistened sponge clamped into a set of jumper cables that were attached to a battery- and jammed it into Oliver's side. He screamed in pain.**_

_**Slade!" Sara cried out, terrified. "Stop, please! Look, he's your friend!" he pleaded.**_

_ Slade looked down tears nearly blueing his eye. _

_**"**__**That is the sound of electricity surging through my friend. Five milliamps, to be exact. Seven causes cardiac arrest." He nodded, and the man upped the wattage and jabbed Oliver again. He screamed briefly before he passed out. "Oliver just passed out with six milliamps." Slade continued. "He'll be delivered with the fatal blow of seven in one hour if Hendrik is not standing here by my side!"**_

_**Sara turned to plead with Hendrik- only to find him holding a gun at her head. "There's no way in hell I'm going back there." He growled.**_

_**Hendrik, please, put the gun down!" one of the survivors, Jerry, said.**_

_**"**__**Why? So you can send me back to that hell hole?" Hendrik spat. "I don't think so!"**_

_" this guy's an asshole!" Roy said. The group agreed. _

_**"**__**It's not for any of us to decide who lives and dies." Jerry stated.**_

_**"**__**But in Hendrik's case, I'd be willing to make an exception." Anatoly said grimly.**_

_**Hendrik turned the gun on him. "I'm leaving." He said. "Don't stop me."**_

_**Anatoly looked at him in disgust. "Good at talking, but you will not kill me." He said confidently.**_

_**"**__**Let's find out." Hendrik growled, putting the barrel of the gun to Anatoly's forehead.**_

_**Then Sara was there, smashing a pipe across the back of his head, knocking him out. Anatoly smiled and nodded in gratitude.**_

_Laurel smiled_

_._

_**Oliver slowly came back to awareness, still chained upright and feeling agony in his left shoulder. "What are you doing to me?" he weakly asked Slade, who sat across from him.**_

_**"**__**In Roman times, a criminal was branded to identify his crimes to the world and to forever remind him of what he'd done." Slade explained. He touched the new tattoo on his back, and Oliver cried out in agony. "Shado wore this tattoo on her back. Now you shall wear it for the rest of your life, however short that may be."**_

_***Slade.****_

_**Slade walked over to the radio and picked up the mic. "Hello, Sara. I hope you've made the right choice." He said.**_

_**In the fuselage, Sara watched as Hendrik was tied up. "Yes." She replied.**_

_ The group continued to watch silently._

_**Hendrik screamed in rage as Anatoly finished trying him up. "I'm going to kill all of you!" he roared, and Anatoly took the last bit of rope and forced it into the other man's mouth as a gag.**_

_**"**__**This is not personal." Anatoly said, then paused, considering. "Well, maybe a little." He admitted gleefully.**_

_**"**__**It's not." Sara said, rising from her seat on a crate. "This is about survival."**_

_**Peter scoffed. "Survival. What a noble word for murder."**_

_**"**__**Slade gave us no option. Hendrik for Oliver." Anatoly reminded him as he dumped Hendrik to the floor.**_

_**"**__**And what gives any of us the right to decide one's life is more valuable than another?" Peter asked.**_

_**Anatoly gestured at Hendrik. "He is tied up. We are not."**_

_" are they seriously just deciding this! As he slade's the bad guy!" Thea fumed angrily. Mia nodded. _

_Oliver looked at them smiling glad someone understand his point of view. _

_**"**__**Once he gets the boat working, Slade will have no more need for him." He said, pitching his wares to Sara now. "So let's not kid ourselves. Doing this is effectively sentencing Hendrik to death."**_

_**"**__**He would do the same thing to any of us! In heartbeat!" Anatoly said. "This is only option."**_

_**"**__**What if it's also an opportunity?" Sara said suddenly.**_

_**"**__**To do what?" Anatoly asked.**_

_**"**__**To kill Slade." She said.**_

_**Landmines?" Anatoly looked over the ancient device that Sara had partially uncovered a few clicks from the fuselage. "What kind of island is this?"**_

_**"**__**Can you remove the explosive?" Sara asked.**_

_**"**__**Certainly." He replied. "Without it going off, eh. Less certain." He stared fiddling gently with the device. "Ah, KGB. You taught me many, many things. Russian bomb, Japanese bomb; they both go… boom." He breathed a sigh and he pulled the detonator free of the device. "Congratulations, we are not dead. Now what?" he asked.**_

_**"**__**Well, Slade takes Hendrik as we agreed." She said. "And then once they're far enough away…"**_

_**"**__**What- you want to rig Hendrik into bomb?" Anatoly asked, both surprised and impressed.**_

_**"**__**Well, Peter was right." Sara said. "Handing Hendrik over to Slade is the same thing as killing him. And you're right, too." She sighed. "We don't have a choice. I mean, at least this way, he can take out Slade, and then we can take the ship." Sara reasoned. She noted the look Anatoly was giving her. "What?"**_

_" you wanted to kill him that fast! Laurel screamed standing up. Arrow stood as well moving to calm her. _

_" it was us or him!" Sara yelled. _

_Laurel scuffed at that. " you knew he wasn't in his right mind! And instead of telling them that you make him out to be the villian!" Laurel was now toe to toe with her sister. _

_" he is the villian! " she screamed. Slade closed his eye. Thea jumped up at that. " if you didn't lie to him! Ivo wouldn't have been able to twist his mind!" Thea screamed. _

_Arrow shoved them both away from each other. " enough! Clearly Sara you don't seem to want to learn anything" he said with that siren hit the device and Sara was gone. _

_Everyone sat back down. _

_**"**__**Just… wondering." Anatoly said. "When did you become so scary?"**_

_**Two of Slade's men dragged Oliver into the fuselage. They were followed by Slade, who pushed in Anthony Ivo ahead of himself.**_

_**"**__**Ollie!" Sara exclaimed upon seeing the wretched state of her friend. "What did you do to him?" she demanded of Slade.**_

_**"**__**Not enough." He said, pushing Ivo to the far wall. The two men pushed Oliver towards Sara, and she caught him just before he collapsed.**_

_**"**__**And what did you do to him?" Slade demanded, looking at the unconscious Hendrik.**_

_**"**__**We just knocked him out." Sara said. "It's better that way. He wasn't exactly a fan of the arrangement." She noted desperately.**_

_**"**__**I would imagine." Slade said.**_

_**"**__**Hendrik's all yours." Sara told him, turning back to Oliver.**_

_**I know." Slade motioned for his two men and they hauled Hendrik to his feet. As he came up, Anatoly subtly pulled the arming pin out of his impromptu bomb. The two men started dragging him out of the plane, but as they passed Slade, he turned to look at the three men curiously. "Wait." He ordered. The survivors looked at each other in worry. "It's an incredible thing, this Mirakuru. Not only does it give you strength, it also heightens all of your senses." Slade explained. "TNT has a particular smell." He lifted up the back of Hendrik's shirt and ripped off the bomb belt. "How long before it goes off? 90 seconds? 60 seconds?" he asked, waving the belt in their faces. "You're thinking that the blast would kill me, but I disagree. Not that I could say the same for you lot." He sneered at Sara. "I am tempted to see this blow you to pieces." He ripped the primer cords out of the bomb, then drew his pistol and pointed it right at Sara's head. "But then again, maybe I'll just shoot you the same way that he shot Shado."**_

_**Oliver rose unsteadily to his feet, but moved between the gun and Sara once again. "No." he said in a firm voice.**_

_**Slade glared at his friend, even as he heard another voice speaking to him. "Slade…." Shado said, getting his attention.**_

_" oh my God! " Roy said. " he's already hulsinating shado" _

_**Slade," Shado said. "Death's too good for them. This island should be their punishment."**_

_**"**__**Death is too good for you. This island should be your punishment." He parroted.**_

_**"**__**Their prison for the rest of their days." Shado continued.**_

_**"**__**Your prison for the rest of your days." He repeated.**_

_**He shoved Hendriks at his men. "Get him out of here." He ordered.**_

_**"**__**Slade—" Oliver tried.**_

_**"**__**Get back!" Slade roared.**_

_**"**__**I can help you." Oliver pleaded.**_

_" oh ollie" Laurel cried. _

_**Slade glared at him. "You can live, or you can die. You choose." He turned to leave, then paused and turned back around. "Would you like to send a message to your family?" he asked. "'Cause as soon as this boat is fixed, I'm paying them a visit." They all watched helplessly as Slade strode out of the fuselage for the last time.**_

_**A battered, bloody Oliver sat in the fuselage as Sara tended to his wounds. "Hey." He said quietly. "Will you help me up?"**_

_**"**__**Yeah." She said, helping to brace him as he struggled to rise.**_

_**Oliver groaned, his body screaming in pain. "Just to my trunk." He said.**_

_" Planning time again!" Mia said. _

_**"**__**Ok." They hobbled over to the trunk, and Oliver opened the lid and rummaged around. After a moment he finally found the leather pouch filled with Yao Fei's healing herbs. He took a pinch and ate them; sighing in relief a he felt them start to work almost instantly.**_

_**Ohh, look who's up." The two turned to see Anatoly and Jerry walking back into the fuselage. "Just in time for all the fun." He glared at Ivo, who sat hunched over in the corner.**_

_**"**__**What are you going to do to him?" Sara asked hesitantly.**_

_**"**__**Make him scream. Just like he made us." He held up a rusty pair of garden shears he had found and snipped them threateningly. "Hmm? They say living well is best revenge? Ha. I prefer torture." He looked back to Oliver. "You want first turn?"**_

_**"**__**No." Oliver said, shaking his head as much as his injuries allowed.**_

_**"**__**Please." Ivo said weakly. "I can help you."**_

_**"**__**No, Doctor." Anatoly said. "I can help you." "What was it you said you needed for research? An eye?" he asked, lunging forward, the shears pointed at his eye.**_

_**"**__**No!" Ivo screamed, terrified.**_

_**"**__**Let me get you a fresh one." Anatoly growled, the shears moving closer.**_

_**You can still stop Slade Wilson!" Ivo screamed.**_

_" oh God!" Thea gagged. _

_**Oliver started at that. "Anatoly. Wait." He ordered, moving closer to the Doctor. "What did you say?"**_

_**"**__**I can help you stop him." Ivo said.**_

_**"**__**How? That miracle drug of yours has turned him into monster." Anatoly pointed out.**_

_**"**__**I know." Ivo replied. "I can turn him back."**_

_**"**__**Ivo, what are you saying?!" Oliver demanded.**_

_**"**__**The Mirakuru. There's a cure." Ivo revealed to a stunned Oliver.**_

_**Don't listen to him, he's lying!" Anatoly said angrily.**_

_" no he's not" everyone said_

_**"**__**The cure is real, I promise!" Ivo pleaded.**_

_**"**__**No, he's just trying to save his neck." Anatoly growled. Sara lay a gently hand on his shoulder, silently asking him to move away. Anatoly scoffed in annoyance, but moved away so that Sara could kneel down in front of the doctor.**_

_**"**__**Anthony, look at me." She said as Ivo gasped in pain. "Tell us about the cure."**_

_**"**__**I want to help you, Sara." He gasped. "But first, you have to promise you'll help me, too."**_

_**"**__**She can't save your life." Oliver told him coldly.**_

_**"**__**No one can, not anymore." Ivo said, moving the shirt away from his blackened stump where his hand used to be. He pulled away the collar of his shirt, showing a similar black spot that was spreading through his veins.**_

_**All I ask is for is a quick death."**_

_**"**__**You don't deserve a quick death." Oliver whispered harshly.**_

_**"**__**I know." Ivo replied. "And I'm still asking."**_

_" nope a pain and slow one" Slade growled. _

_**Sara looked back Oliver hopefully. For all the evil he had done, Ivo had saved her from being a victim for over a year. She owed him at least this.**_

_**Oliver nodded. "It's your call." He told her. Sara looked back at Ivo and nodded as well, agreeing.**_

_**"**__**Thank you." He said.**_

_**"**__**Start talking, Ivo!" Oliver demanded.**_

_**"**__**I was never able to replicate the Mirakuru serum from the original Japanese World War II research I discovered." Ivo started. "After conducting experiments on the prisoners that I acquired this past year, I was able to synthesize a solution that counteracts, reverses the physiological effects that exposure to Mirakuru produces." He looked at them significantly. "From more than human back to human."**_

_**"**__**Where is this cure now?" Oliver asked.**_

_**"**__**You'll keep your word about ending my life?" Ivo begged.**_

_**"**__**Yes. Tell us." Sara replied after a moment.**_

_**Ivo sighed and used his remaining hand to pull a key out of his pocket. "On the freighter. In the safe in my quarters." He revealed, handing the key to Sara.**_

_**Now I believe… this concludes my end of our deal." He said weakly. Sara stood and walked over to the crate where the pistol was laying. She picked it up, turned back to Ivo, and aimed it at him shakily…**_

_Everyone held their breath. _

_**Sara stood frozen, the gun held on Ivo as he looked on, helpless. "I saved you once, Sara." He said weakly. "It feels like a long time ago now. Time to return the favor." Her hand shook, but her finger started tightening on the trigger…**_

_**Then Oliver's hand came up and gently pushed the gun down. Ivo sighed as Oliver took the gun from Sara. "You might not believe it now, but I was considered a good man." He said. "A good doctor. A good husband." He sighed. "Until the Mirakuru drove me mad. I didn't even take any myself—"**_

_**He was cut off as Oliver shot him twice in the chest. The doctor slumped over, dead. Oliver turned away and put the gun down on a nearby crate.**_

_**"**__**You didn't have to do that for me." Sara told him shakily.**_

_**Oliver looked at her. "Once you take a life, it changes you forever." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And I don't want that for you."**_

_**Anatoly and Jerry came back into the fuselage. "Schastlivchik." He muttered, looking at the body of the good doctor. "So, now what do we do?" he wondered.**_

_**"**__**Well, I don't suppose any of you know how to pilot a submarine?" Oliver asked.**_

_ That got a smile out of Laurel_

_ " are you guys ever that Lucky" _

_**Anatoly and Jerry came back into the fuselage. "Schastlivchik." He muttered, looking at the body of the good doctor. "So, now what do we do?" he wondered.**_

_**"**__**Well, I don't suppose any of you know how to pilot a submarine?" Oliver asked.**_

_"__Again big jump " arrow spoke. Everyone nodded. _

_**Oliver made his way silently through the 'Amazo'- as silently as he could dripping water everywhere he went. He made his way into the cell block, dodging the guards and quickly locating Sara's cell. He used a knife to bust open the lock, and as the door swung open, Sara looked over at him in surprise.**_

_**"**__**Ollie!" she cried repeatedly in relief, jumping into his arms. "Thank God! Ollie!"**_

_" Thea crossed her arms. _

_**"**__**All right, come with me." He said, leading her out of the cell block.**_

_**"**__**The sub is right alongside the freighter." He told her. "You just need to swim, ok?"**_

_**"**__**Ok." She stopped as he pulled away. "Ok, what are you doing?" she asked worriedly.**_

_**Oliver sighed. "I can't leave yet." He said.**_

_**Not without you." Sara decided after a moment.**_

_**Oliver sighed. "Sara…"**_

_**"**__**Come on." She said, pulling him back into the ship towards the cure.**_

_" least she's helping" Mia commented darkly_

_**On the 'Amazo', Sara and Oliver entered Ivo's lab. Oliver secured the door, and then turned to Sara. "Go lock the other door." He told her.**_

_**"**__**Ok." She replied. She ran across the room to secure the other hatch, and that was when Oliver noticed something in the corner. Walking over, he picked up his bow and quiver. He turned to Sara. "Sara, where does Ivo keep his safe?" he asked.**_

_**"**__**It's, uh, by his books." She replied. Oliver walked over to his desk and spotted the safe. His heart sank when he saw the door of the safe had been forced open already. He opened it and found the safe empty.**_

_**"**__**Oliver…" Sara said in alarm. Oliver turned to see two men with guns enter the room from a third doorway, followed closely by Slade.**_

_ Slade cursed himself for being smart. _

_**"**__**What are you looking for, kid?" he asked, and then held up a syringe filled with blue liquid. "This?" he asked with a smirk.**_

_**On the 'Amazo', Slade grunted in disappointment as the latest man he had injected with the Mirakuru failed to revive. He looked up to his lieutenant. "Another disappointment! Bring me another!" he ordered. The man moved off to open another cell as Oliver and Sara, held in place by two more pirates, watched on, helpless.**_

_**"**__**Come on, Slade, what are you doing?!" Oliver asked.**_

_" Im gone kid" Slade said angrily. Oliver looked at him " never" _

_**"**__**Advancing the cause of science." Slade said, pulling out a new syringe and preparing to inject the latest man his lieutenant brought him.**_

_**"**__**Wait, no, no, wait, I know you blame me for Shado's death!" Oliver cried out, trying to save the man. "I blame myself!"**_

_**"**__**He should!" Phantom Shado snarled. "It's his fault we aren't together."**_

_**You said once that we were brothers." Oliver tried. "And right now, I am begging you, brother to brother, just listen to me!" he begged.**_

_**"**__**Don't listen to him! All his words are lies." Phantom Shado said.**_

_**"**__**I wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for you." Oliver said.**_

_**"**__**I would be alive if it wasn't for him." Phantom Shado replied.**_

_**"**__**Think about Shado!" Oliver cried. "She-she cared for both of us. She wouldn't want this. She wanted us off Lian Yu. She'd want all of this to end!"**_

_**Slade grabbed his head as reality and fantasy blurred together, becoming too much for his damaged psyche.**_

_" Hes fighting the drugs" Roy whispered. _

_**"**__**He's right! This needs to end." Phantom Shado agreed. "You need to kill him." Slade's eyes cleared and his body relaxed as he reached his decision. He put the syringe down on the deck…**_

_**On board the submarine, Anatoly looked helplessly at the clock. "Two hours now." He sighed, and then walked over to the fire control station. "Prosti menya, moy drug." He said, turning the key. "I'm sorry, Oliver." He hit the firing button.**_

_**On the ship, Slade was staring at Phantom Shado as he pulled his mask out from his waistband and put it on. The pirate holding on to Oliver forced him to the deck as Slade pulled out his gun.**_

_**"**__**Do it." Phantom Shado said eagerly. He turned and aimed at Oliver's head.**_

_**Slade, no!" Sara cried, struggling against the man who held her futilely.**_

_**"**__**Pull the trigger!" Phantom Shado yelled eagerly.**_

_Thea looked away again. She didn't want to watch this. _

_**"**__**Slade!" Oliver cried out-**_

_**And then the torpedo hit, and the world went to hell.**_

_**As the 'Amazo' exploded around them, Oliver managed to shove one of the pirates away into the rising water. He then dove at his quiver and grabbed an arrow, then turned and stabbed the guard holding Sara in the gut. He grabbed Sara and pushed her behind a crate as the pirate briefly opened fire on the pair. Seeing the ship as lost, the pirate scrambled to his feet and waded out of the door, trying to get to safety.**_

_**"**__**Get off the ship!" Oliver yelled at her.**_

_**Not without you!" she replied.**_

_**Oliver spied something floating on the surface of the water- the Mirakuru. Slade spotted it as well, and they both dived for it. Oliver reached it first and grabbed it, standing to face the man he once called his brother.**_

_**"**__**Give it to me! Give me the Mirakuru!" Slade yelled, crazed. Oliver shook his head and threw it into the corner of the room, where a small fire was blazing.**_

_**"**__**No!" Slade cried, enraged as the Mirakuru burned. Slade dove at Oliver, who still clutched an arrow in his hand. Oliver blocked the first two hits, but a swift kick to the gut sent him flying back into the cell doors.**_

_Everyone stared in horror at the two once brothers fought. _

_**"**__**Ollie!" Sara cried, running towards him. Slade grabbed her, then threw her across the room.**_

_**"**__**Sara!" Oliver cried as Sara, her hand outstretched to Oliver, was swept through the doorway by the rushing water, just as she had two years ago.**_

_"No" Laurel whispered. _

_**"**__**Poor Sara." Slade said as Oliver got back to his feet. "How many times you going to watch her die?" Enraged, Oliver and Slade charged one another—**_

_**On the 'Amazo', Oliver attacked, throwing wild, powerful punches. But the Mirakuru made Slade invulnerable to such an attack. He hit back, sending Oliver to the water logged deck.**_

_" he's lost control again" Lance said sadly. The mirakuru tore this man apart. _

_**"**__**You can't kill me." Slade growled. Oliver threw a punch at Slade's head, which he gleefully took. Slade returned the favor by kicking Oliver in the leg, and as he fell grabbed him by the throat with one hand. He lifted him a foot into the air, and Oliver scrambled, his fingers tugging at Slade's mask and pulling it off…**_

_**Oliver struggled mightily against the iron-clad grip of Slade. He punched him in the face, but it didn't make him let go. Next he started pounding on Slade's arm, desperate for air. Slade roared and slugged him hard in the jaw, sending him crashing face first into the water. As Oliver pulled himself up, he found himself staring right at the floating mask of Deathstroke.**_

_Everyone winced. Staring at the two fighting. _

_**Slade stalked over to Oliver and kicked him hard in the ribs, sending him flying across the room…**_

_**when a secondary explosion rocked the cell block. Oliver was thrown off of his feet as tons of debris fell from the ceiling-**_

_**Right onto Slade, pinning him to the deck.**_

_Thea cried out , grabbing slade's hand. Oliver started sobbing knowing what was coming. _

_**Oliver looked up and, to his amazement, saw the cure syringe floating right in front of him, along with his quiver. He grabbed both the cure and an arrow, then rose and turned to face his defeated foe.**_

_**"**__**What are you going to do, kid?" Slade demanded. "Stick me with the cure? It doesn't matter. I'll keep my promise!" he shouted. "I'll take away everything and everyone you love! Sara was only the first!" Oliver listened, the rage building. "She was only the first! Your sister, Laurel, your mother!" **_

_ Laurel stared in horror. Slade was trying to look anywhere but at the screen. _

_**He heard enough. Oliver threw down the cure and lunged forward, driving the arrow deep into Slade's left eye. He staggered back as Slade's head fell back, seemingly dead. He observed his fallen friend sadly, and then suddenly there was another explosion. He was blown back into the water and knocked out as the 'Amazo' finally broke her spine, partially sinking into the shallow bay.**_

_Once the clip ended. Arrow slowly stood. Slade had barely got to his feet before he fell to his knees. Thea and Mia were at his side in a second. Oliver was breathing heavily. With dig gently squeezing his shoulder. _

_Roy stood off to the side sadly Looking at Everyone. _


	11. Epilogue

Once the final clip ended , noone moved. Slade was on his knees wothia and Thea trying to console the man. Oliver was glaring at the screen. Tears falling from his eyes. Joe was standing off to the side while dig watched on.

Arrow nodded. " I hope this taught you well" he said.

Red arrow walked over to Slade and Thea. " Here's the cure. If you choose to change one thing. " She said softly. Thea smiled " it'd be to give him the cure earlier." She smiled.

_**Hour later. **_

Everyone was sad to see the end but knew it was time to go. They all separated into the timeline groups

Slade , Oliver, Mia and Joe were the first to leave disappearing back to their timeline.

Dig felicity and Curtis were next. Then roy. Moira queen and Thea were the last.

_**Starling City, 2013. **_

Thea opened her eyes and saw she was still in the warehouse. One of slade's guards was on the floor in front of her, kneeling down. Which she realized why. She must of returned and her future self made it look like she just fainted. This meant her mom was probably at the police station. With Oliver. Her Oliver. She heard him ask something, shaking her head she head butted him like the Slade she'd met taught her while they were watching his and Oliver's life on the island. Then she ran. She was gonna change it , thankfully the red arrow gave her the cure.

Getting to the police station was easy. She burst in and everyone yelled her name. Her mom was smiling and moved aside to let her in where her Oliver was talking to Slade.

Bursting through the door Thea ran straight into slade's arms or tried to seeing as he was cuffed.

"Thea!" Oliver yelled. Thea ignored him to break the cuffs. Was she being a little emotional , yes. With what just happened to her I think she's aloud. " get these off your brother now Ollie!"

That comment caused both Slade and oliver to stare at her. Oliver nodded and quickly uncuffed slade. Picking the lock. Thea smiled blushing when she looked at Slade. Remembering her older version kissing the man.

" you gonna explain!" Oliver demanded. Thea nodded and first pressed herself against Slade kissing him. While he was distracted she stuck the needle into his neck slowly. Before releasing him.

" There! Now this feud can end! " she said walking out.

Slade looked at Oliver then the door then back at Oliver. " um" Oliver glared at him. " don't ask me Slade!"

Thea heard them fighting. " it was the cure for the mirakuru " she said walking back in , she changed into a new pair of jeans " let's go boys"

Oliver followed his sister and after a minute Slade followed him. They got to the queen house and Thea sat them both in the family room.

" now, I just got home. From the bloody future! " Thea started her rant. Both Slade and Oliver nodded. Thea was amazed at how Slade was behaving. " ollie I gave Slade the cure " when she said this , Oliver looked close to tears.

Thea then told ollie where she was and everything . Slade had sat listening. Thea smiled the cure red arrow gave her worked faster than the one they actually used. Apparently. She could see slade's face clearing of any rage.

Mission accomplished.

_**Starling City, 2015. **_

Dig, felicity and Roy all woke up on the floor of the arrow cave. Looking around they all smiled. " hope Thea got the cure to Slade. "

Dig smirked " oh she did" he said as he watched Thea walk in holding hands with Slade Wilson.

Roy whooped high fiving dig. They did it! They saved slade. Roy watched a now same Slade Wilson talk to Thea and Oliver. With a smile.

He was thankful for their future selves for the lesson in this Friendship. He was thankful he could help save it.

_**Starling City , 2017. **_

Oliver woke to the sounds of little feet running around. It couldn't have just been a dream. Could it. Walking out of his room , he saw Thea making breakfast. While she held a toddler on her hip. Turning to see Joe Wilson walk through the door with another small child.

Oliver was in near tears of relief. She did it. Thea from the year 2013 changed the future. Oliver smiled at the little ones. " Thea..? " he asked.

Thea turned. " Oliie! Your awake! " she said smacking a teenager who was sharpening a sword at the table. " grant! Finish breakfast! " she laughed. Oliver smiled grant was here and Joe! Thea then walked over to oliver , hugging him. The little girl was reaching out for him. "shado!" Thea laughed. " joes here with Tommy!" Oliver heard grant yell. Oliver watched as his brother walked out of the bathroom a towel drying his hair. " Hey kid…you finally get out of bed"

And Oliver knew everything was going to be okay.

_**The End**_

_**Sequel or No? **_


End file.
